I watched a man walk down a dirt road. He was alone, and he looked like the kind of person who had been carrying a heavy load two miles too long. The traveler kept shifting his big heavy bag from one shoulder to the other, trying to shift himself into a position that will make the load he carried a little bit lighter.
What is so important that someone would carry around such a load for so long I mused. The man was clearly weary. He was obviously in need of a friend to help him carry this load, a friend to give him a lift. As I watched, another man approached him. "This just got interesting..." I thought to myself. I now no longer minded that my ride was late. I wanted to see this interaction!
The man who approached the traveler asked the man what he was carrying? He asked to see inside the bag.
The traveler hesitated, but seemed to welcome the opportunity to lift the load off of his shoulders if only for a moment. So with a little hesitation, the traveler set down his bag. I watched as the two men chatted a bit, the man opposite our traveler motioned to see what was inside the bag. I wanted to see too! The traveler said quietly, "Oh, this is just all my old stuff." The other man responded, "must be pretty important stuff for you to carry it all this way." The traveler looked down. "What's going on here.." I wondered.
The traveler sort of kicked some dirt back and forth between his feet, shifting a bit before he reached into his bag. With eyes wide I watched as he took out a box that was clearly very heavy. On it was written something, I think it said, "I can't forgive her."
"What's that?" asked the man opposite the traveler. The traveler said, that's my box of stuff I can't let go of. "oh really?" was the reply.
"What else do you have in that bag?" Asked the man...
So I watched as the man began to unload his bag right there on the dirty road. A box labeled, "Hate." Came out next. Followed by "Shame." And then finally "Miserable."
When the contents of the bag were all laid out on the road, exposed to the sunlight, the traveler stood there and stared. So did I. So did the man who stood with our traveler.
"Now what?" asked the man...
Traveler paused, looked up and said, "I haven't looked at this stuff in a while."
"Do you need this stuff?" asked the other man...
Traveler looked down at his collection, then back up at the man. What happened next is something I promise you I will never forget. The man, who was with the traveler, slowly began to one by one, pick up Travelers boxes, and put them back in the bag. After the bag was full again, (and heavy) Travelers new friend picked up the bag. He put in on His shoulder. He put His free hand on Travelers shoulder and said, "How about I carry this stuff for you?"
"What are you going to do with all my old stuff...?" asked a confused, baffled Traveler.
The man looked at Traveler and said this:
"I will help you get rid of what weighs you down. Now, look at your hands, they are free. They are empty of all the old stuff. Now your hands are free to do things that bring life to you, and to others. Use your hands for good, not evil. Bless others with those free hands. Do you want this from me? "
Traveler stood their speechless. He slowly nodded. The other man turned around and started to walk away, his new load in tow. Traveler dropped to his knees. I heard Him whisper "Thank you." To the now distant figure of the man who took the load from Traveler.
I found myself wiping tears from my eyes.
Then Traveler stood up, looked at his newly freed arms and hands, he raised them up, and at the top of his lungs he cried.."THANK YOU!"
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." -Jesus
Freedom is a gift we accept from the hands of Jesus as He takes our burdens, frees us up for lives that can now be filled with praise. The loads we carry, the burdens we hold on to do not bring us freedom. They only weigh us down. Everyone is a Traveler at some point in their life. And Jesus, is always there, always available, and always present. All we need to do is accept our need for His help, and the rest is history.
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