“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. Galatians 6: 2, MSG. 

Holy Creator, we come into Your presence, humbly. We realize that it is Your mercy and grace, that makes this possible. Please allow us to extend that grace and mercy, to those who are in need. Teach us how to do this, as we study Your Word. In the blessed name of Your Son, and our Savior, Jesus, the Christ, we pray. Amen.

Perhaps You recognize the title of this devotional as the title of a song written by Rufus Wainwright. I heard it sung by the late Donny Hathaway, and immediately fell in love with the song. The lyrics spoke to my innermost being, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.” [“She ain’t heavy, she’s my sister.”] For those who are not accustomed to broken English, what is really meant is, He is not heavy, he is my brother. She is not heavy, she is my sister. Whether you prefer “ain’t,” or, “is not,” I pray that we will agree on the sentiment of the statement.

In his unique manner, Eugene Peterson, the author of “The Message” version of the Bible, moves us a little further into the action of the text by bringing us to our knees, “Stoop down and reach out” he says. In other words, touch the lives of those who are hurting. Do not just send a check to an orphan, or a single mother, or the child of a prisoner, write them a personal letter. Get down where they are, they will be able to hear you better. They will be able to see you better. They will be able to feel you! I heard a story some time ago, that seems to bring out the sentiments of this song quite literally. Please allow me to share it with you, as I remember it.

Two hobos were caught in a snow storm. The sudden drop of the temperature came upon them quite unexpectedly, far from a shelter. They were in a partly covered alley between two high-rise buildings. Under the circumstances, they decided that it might be their best bet to have, at least, partial shelter, instead of no shelter at all. Soon, because of the intense cold, one of the men began to show signs of hypothermia, his speech became slurred, and his coordination was visibly affected. Realizing that he must act swiftly in order to save his friend, the other man, with all the strength he could muster, got down on his knees, and managed to pull his friend up on his back. All night long, he walked back and forth in the partially covered alley dragging, and, talking to, his friend, who, of course, was not responding. He carried on a regular conversation, as he and his friend, were accustomed to having. The hours dragged by without the man realizing that he was not feeling as cold as he should be feeling, under the circumstances. Soon he heard the sound of the men on the snow plows working to remove the snow in time for the heavy traffic that would be going by that way, in a couple of hours. Dragging his friend on his back, he managed to make himself visible to one of the men on the plow.

The man on the first machine signalled to his friend, who immediately ran to see what the situation was. Between the two, they managed to provide adequate covering for both men, while calling 911. Soon the two hobos were in an ambulance, and, on their way to a nearby hospital. After the emergency staff worked on both men, attending to some frost bites, and making sure that their body temperatures were normal, they informed the man that had carried his friend on his back, that in his effort to save his friend, he had saved his own life as well. The heat generated by his body, as he walked back and forth, had helped both himself and his friend, to maintain acceptable body temperatures. What puzzled them was how he was able to carry a man who was almost his double in weight! His response was:  “He wasn’t heavy, he was just helpless! He had no one but me to help him. He would have done the same for me. You see, we are not just friends, we are brothers!”

I believe that these lyrics from the song I mentioned at the beginning, provide a good ending for our devotional today: “So on we go his [her] welfare is of my concern. No burden is he [she] to bear. We’ll get there for I know he [she] would not encumber me. If I’m laden at all, I’m laden with sadness that everyone’s heart isn’t filled with the gladness of love for one another.” May God help us!