Have you ever left a conversation with a friend, co-worker, or family member and felt like you just finished wrestling an elephant?  I’m talking about those discussions that are so incredibly heavy that you leave the scene utterly exhausted.  There are times when must listen and share that load with another brother… but all the time?  Without a break, you will collapse under the weight.

Humans have this mechanism that clicks into gear when religion and faith surface in a conversation.  We are encouraged to share our burdens… but what about the celebrations?  It seems that far too many sermons, teachings, and discussions in the church environment are just plain depressing.  There is a focus on sin, how bad our behavior has gotten, and focus on the misery with a dash of hope.

I have a picture that was given to me by Tom, one of my pastor friends (much like the picture with this article).  The picture is one of Christ with his head thrown back, mouth wide open, eyes squinted, and he’s laughing from the gut.  I love this!  This is an image that speaks to me.  It affirms that He suffered in the end so we could enjoy our life and all of its abundance.  What a disservice we do to Christ’s honor when we put on our sackcloth, ash up our faces, furl our brows and talk about how heavy life is.  There is a time for this, but it’s not a way of life.

I listen to the collective conversation of faith and its quite depressing.  LIGHTEN UP!  You’re missing the point!

Let me reiterate the words of Christ:

28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30

The “aha” moment of Christ’s message to us is found in verse 30.  You must understand that the “yoke” Christ is referring to can have two meanings.  As the people would have heard this teaching at the time would have easily understood that the Hebrew term for “yoke” actually meant “teachings”.

In early Jewish custom, it was widely known that a Rabbi’s interpretation of the Torah / God’s word along with the Rabbi’s teaching of these interpretations were called… his “Yoke”.  So when Jesus Christ speaks to you in Matthew 11:28-30, He is essentially telling you that my “teachings” are easy and I will not weigh you down with ritual, despair, and heaviness.  How enlightening this has been to me.

To follow Christ is not to layer on chains and weights and drag around like you’re not worthy.  Following Christ is freedom, deep breaths of hope, and laughter.  To know Christ deeply in your life is to understand joy and freedom.  We aren’t worthy on our own, but we are worthy through Christ.

We can have conversations that deal with some pretty heavy stuff… it takes that from time to time.  But don’t get mired up in the burdens and chains of the suffering servant.  I can tell you that if I didn’t know Christ but watched the church from a distance and saw congregations with heads hung down and beaten into submission on a weekly basis… I would not want to be a part of that!

Would you?  Are you?

Christ was crucified on the cross in order that you don’t have to suffer in such a way.  To live a life that does’t find joy is to nullify the nails that were driven into the hands of our Lord.

Listen to Jesus Christ when he teaches you; “My teachings are easy!  My burdens are light!  Please accept them and live this life to the fullest!” [paraphrased - Holy Bible]

What father would want their child to live a life without joy?  We want our children to be obedient, be happy, and understand right and wrong.  We want them to be free from worry and despair.  Don’t you think God wants so much more for each of us?

May your day be light in the knowledge that Christ Jesus carries the weight for us.  In that freedom, may you find joy, peace, and hope in each breath that fills your lungs.

Lift your heads.  Lighten up.  If it’s heavy… it’s by your own doing.  Christ tells us that his “yoke” is easy and his burdens are light.
Peace,
Greg
Acts 4:31
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