Unpacking Life

            It is no secret that one of my favorite miracles in the Bible is the story of Lazarus. There is something deep within me that longs to see someone raised from the dead and not only that, but that the Lord would one day allow me to be a part of such a grand miracle. However, that is not the point of this post. Another reason I am so drawn to the story of Lazarus is because it shows the importance of community. Jesus didn’t unwrap the grave clothes which bore the mark of Lazarus’ former life, but instead tells those around him to help unbind this formally dead man. Isn’t this the purpose of life, to watch as Jesus reveals himself and brings to life what once was dead and in doing so, giving us the opportunity to partake in the renewal and freeing of these new creations? It is quite a blessing that a God, who created the universe, would graciously allow us to help others become free! This is constantly what I stress in my own life and in the lives of others around me: look for ways to help and do whatever is possible to help others become free of the stench from their former life.

Anyways, while riding the metro the other day, the Lord stretched me a bit farther in my understanding. As I stood there, riding along, I looked over to see this older man surrounded by his fully packed luggage. At first I wondered where he could be going and why he had so much luggage, of course I’m always wondering about people’s life stories, but then I began to wonder how on earth this thinner, older man, was going to possibly carry all of this luggage. As the metro slowed to a halt, I noticed that the gentleman was getting off at the same stop as myself and being the foreigner I am, naturally, I snapped a shot of him toting all of his luggage. I can’t even begin to express how impressed I was that he, in fact, was able to tote these bags on his own. While putting away my phone, I looked up to notice a large staircase ahead of us and my instinct was to go up to this man and help him carry this burdensome baggage up the stairs. After all,  aren’t we to look for ways to help relieve others burdens? I began to shove my phone into my bag a bit quicker and formulate a plan of how to communicate through gestures that I wanted to help, when I saw something quite amazing. The old man approached these two youthful men and spoke with them, I can only imagine that he was asking them to help, because all of sudden he shifted his baggage around and handed two of the bags over to these guys. This is when the Lord showed me something.

Often in life, I get caught up in helping others, focusing on solving other people’s problems and helping lighten their burdens when noticeable. But that in itself is what the Lord spoke to me about. There is this idea, at least where I grew up, that we must be independent. We must not let others see that we are in need of help, after all aren’t we suppose to be strong and have our lives together if we are truly living the Christian life? But, how many times does the Bible talk about asking for things and that there is healing when we share our burdens with others, even so much as confessing our sins to one another? How many times does it talk about not thinking highly of ourselves and that the last will be first? So, what is perpetuating this idea that we have to display ourselves as being together and un-needing of help? By not asking for help, can I go so far as to suggest, that we might even be preventing another from being able to receive the blessing that comes from helping others become free? This is where I saw the Lord showing me the other side of the coin. Not only must I help others, but I must also be willing to ask for help myself. The race is a brutal one, but well worth the run, however, we can’t do it alone, nor are we called to do so. I am learning to be more vulnerable, not just enough to make people feel I am vulnerable, but that terrifying, sharing my darkest wounds and actions, fully being open to possible rejection vulnerability. Now, being someone that hid behind walls until just recently, this is quite a fearsome place to be, but the freedom I have felt from just the small removal of some of these walls has been enough to know that the risk is worth the freedom. I am tired of not being free. I am tired of pretending like I don’t struggle with insecurities and sin. I am tired of acting like I don’t need others help and love. Now, I’m not suggesting that I should become a leech that drains the life out of others, but that I ask for help when I need it and that I am willing to allow others to help unbind me. I long to live in freedom and if that means I have to ask another to help carry part of my baggage than I am at the place where I am finally willing to do just that! I’m ready to live a life free of the grave clothes that tie me to my former self and walk into the new creation I have become! Thank the Lord for new ways of looking at situations!