Sorry, Got these sacks.

To me, it's a good idea to always carry two sacks of something when you walk around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey, can you give me a hand?" you can say, "Sorry, got these sacks."  -  Jack Handey

 

Okay, did you laugh at that?  Yes?  No?
Either way, please go back and read it again.  Yes, I meant now.

I’ll wait.

So have you read it again?  Good.  Now isn’t that just about the stupidest thing you’ve ever read?  Carrying heavy sacks around with you all day, just so you won’t have to help someone else to move something.  Stick around, there’s more stupidity in the works here.

So do we ever do this?  I know I do.  I carry heavy sacks with me every day.  Great, heavy bags containing every stupid thing I’ve ever done, and am sure everyone else remembers; sacks containing all those sins I just can’t get away from, no matter how hard I try; sacks with those hurts and imperfections beyond my own control, which I cry about everyday.

So we sit and wail, “Woe is me, for I am an afflicted man/woman/fish.”  Then we mutter to ourselves about this thorn in our flesh, and our burden to bear, and we struggle on.  Until we see someone else struggling under the weight of their burdens as well.  And what do we do?  Do we drop our sacks and run to help them?  No, we look over our shoulders, and see our sacks where we left them, and we smile a small smile to ourselves, and say out loud “Sorry brother, I can’t help you.  I’ve got these sacks.”

So you think that’s stupid?  Wait.  It gets worse.

Then someone comes along, with light arms and a clear back.  He looks at us with love in his eyes, and says, “Here brother, let me help you with those sacks.”  And of course we immediately respond with great enthusiasm…. “Get your own sacks, these are mine.”

What?!

“Get your own sacks, these are mine.”???

Okay, seriously.  Just how stupid is that?

Why are we, and by we I mean me of course, afraid to give up our sack?  I think sometimes we get so used to the idea that we have our own sacks to bear, that we use it as an excuse not to help other people with theirs.  And sometimes we are just so used to the weight that we are afraid to let it go.  And sometimes I think we like our sacks.  I’m afraid if I lay down my sack, and help you with yours, I might find that I’ve been carrying it for nothing for so many years.  I’m afraid that I will find that your burden is a real burden, and my sack is just my own stubborn refusal to put it down.  I think sometimes we use our sack as an excuse not to run, and dance, and jump. 

Jesus says to us, “Come and run, and jump with me.  Let’s have some fun.”

“Sorry, can’t.  Got these sacks don’t you know.”

Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 55:22