Tapestry
Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
When I was a teenager, we spent time on the Navajo Reservation in Kinlichee, Arizona. We were sponsoring a vacation Bible School and gospel meeting. The Indian women made us fry bread, beans and stew and we ate under a brush arbor that we watched the men build. A quarter mile from where we camped was the chapter house. It was a combination office, shower facility and gift shop. The shop had beautiful crafts, including dolls and jewelry. My favorite thing was the handmade rugs. They were woven on traditional looms. Yarn was strung vertically on the loom and then passed over one thread and under the next. At the end of each row the yarn was pressed down to tighten the weave. The bright colored yarn made intricate patterns and the rugs were strong and durable.
In the strange and uncertain times we live in, Christians need each other. When we are in fellowship our lives are woven together. Our different gifts and experiences, when they are combined, make a beautiful tapestry of God’s grace and increase the strength of each individual. We are much less vulnerable to outside attacks.
Ecclesiastes 4 9-12 says this.
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
In Galatians 6:2, Paul encourages us to bear one another’s burdens, and in First Corinthians 12 he describes the way we are many members but form one body with Christ being the head.
Many other verses discuss the idea of the importance of fellowship and love. Not only does it benefit us, but also glorifies God and sets an example for those outside the fellowship.
You are a treasured part of the tapestry of my life. Your love and strength make me a better me. I am so glad, my beautiful sister, that my life is woven with yours.
