Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-4).

If “seeing each other through” had a scripture passage to go with it, it would be this one. Notice how helping someone else avoid temptation includes a realization of your own susceptibility. You can’t help your brother or sister with a splinter in his/her eye without dealing with the log in your own. And don’t forget: dealing with the log in your own eye makes you a different person. You approach his/her speck from an entirely different perspective than if it were only the other person’s problem. No, it’s your problem, too. You have personal experience.

And then notice that bit about carrying each other’s burden. God built us to do this. He means for us to have burdens too big for one person to carry. He made us so we would need each other. This, in spite of how hard we try to be self-sufficient. Don’t mistake this for pride. Sooner or later we have to give up being alone. Sooner is better.

So what about you and me? Where do we go with our burdens? Do we just take them to the Lord, or do we, like the scriptures teach, find someone to help us – a flesh-and-blood someone? Do we have this kind of sharing and bearing among ourselves? And if we don’t, why not? Is there too much pride? Is there no leadership? Someone has to start.

The lyrics to Rich Mullins song, “Brother’s Keeper” should help here:

Now the plumber’s got a drip in his spigot
The mechanic’s got a clank in his car
And the preacher’s thinking thoughts that are wicked
And the lover’s got a lonely heart
My friends ain’t the way I wish they were – they are just the way they are
And I will be my brother’s keeper – not the one who judges him
I won’t despise him for his weakness. I won’t regard him for his strength.
I won’t take away his freedom. I will help him learn to stand.
And I will – I will be my brother’s keeper
      — from “Brother’s Keeper” by Rich Mullins