I learned some new exercises today to improve the strength of my shoulders, biceps, upper back muscles and bones. The exercises are simple and yet exhausting. Isn’t it interesting how some of the simplest things can be the most exhausting? And yet, how much stronger we become by doing these simple and exhausting things that will help us carry the weight of our bodies with better balance, how these simple things that hurt a little for now will cause pain to go away as elasticity is improved and resiliency returned.
It made me think about how we live together in families, in communities and in organizations. It seems there are so many parts of the body that feel insignificant as they go about their tasks, parts of the body that are sometimes ignored by every other part of the body. The work they do is being accomplished without anyone noticing – until something happens that causes them to cease doing the work. Sometimes the lack of the work being done is hardly noticed until a project collapses completely along with the person. Then I thought about theatre and how every main character and other ‘significant’ characters have understudies, people who show up to the practices and memorize the parts in case something happens to the main character. In some ways, in healthy families and as the members mature in stature and spirit, we understudy each other more than we realize. We pay more attention to other members in the family than we realize, until something happens to one of them.
When I was a young mother I had an injury that caused me to have to be flat on my back for a number of weeks – some people in the church I attended were attentive enough to know my family would need assistance as the children were just toddlers. Some brought meals over, others did some holiday shopping for me and some family members came to help watch the children while my husband went to work. They helped my husband and I shoulder the responsibility of taking care of our family.
When I was a little older I had surgery and again had to rest for a short time – by then my children were able to do chores. Without our asking, when I came home they quickly began talking about who was going to do what around the house and then pitched in without complaint. They shouldered the responsibility of being a family and doing the work according to what they were able and willing and they negotiated with each other about who would do what, when and why they could or couldn’t if they disagreed. It was rewarding as a mother to watch that process. While I despised being weak and unable to fulfill what I thought were my motherly and wifely responsibilities during those times, I couldn’t do much to help during those times but I did thank God for giving me a family that was willing and able to help in time of need.
Without knowing it, through my off and on weaknesses with health issues I’ve had, they were learning valuable lessons in teamwork that could prove valuable to them in their future jobs. And not only in their future jobs, but in their future relationships. As a mother, I have had the joy of hearing compliments from my children’s teachers and employers, their friends and parent’s of friends about how compassionate, caring and helpful they are.
All through our lifetimes we have times of strength and times of weakness – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. We hear it said all the time that a family, team or organization is only as strong as the weakest link but I think the strength of families, teams and organizations shines even brighter when one member is weak. Especially if they find strength in shouldering (sharing) the burden of the work that person normally contributes.
I had been a team member on a course we were teaching at church when the coordinators wife fell seriously ill. When the Parish Priest asked who would like to take over for him everyone shook their head no, assuming the Parish Priest would do it for us. He said no, he wasn’t going to do that and suggested we all pray about the matter. After prayer I felt inclined to offer to take on the role and the course was able to continue. After coordinating for a few years I realized I wasn’t going to be able to the next year so I asked for someone to work alongside me so the course could continue in my absence. We then talked about the importance of always having two people, a coordinator and an assistant for the ‘in case’ times. This is a good model for many ministries in the church – very often one person shoulders the load and the road is a little rough going if they haven’t had another person shouldering the weight of leadership with them. Perhaps this is why Jesus always sent his disciples out in pairs and not alone.
The love of God shone through when Jesus was so weak that he fell under the weight of the cross. A soldier pushed someone in to help him carry it – he could have just beat Jesus and forced him to lift it or drag it to the mountain. Veronica wiped his brow. Jesus spoke words of comfort to the women who were on the roadside during this time of weakness. There is strength in the love of God and in those who love Him.
Ultimately it is the love of God that helps the whole body of Christ, the family of God to shoulder the weight of the world and do the work that God has for us to do; to care for orphans and widows in their distress; to love one another as God loves us.
