I happened to be behind a school bus recently that was dropping elementary kids off after shcool. One little guy got off the buss lugging a huge backpack. He let it rest on the ground for a minute as he marshaled his strength, and then with a mighty effort he slung it onto his shoulder. The weight and momentum pushed him sideways for several steps, and he stumbled to the point where I thought he was going down. It was then all he could do to trudge toward his house. The look on his face was really funny—halfway between total concentration and total aggravation! It is a good thing he did not have to walk five miles to school uphill like his granddad likely had to do.
I don’t remember carrying home that many books when I was in third grade. In fact, I don’t remember carrying home any books when I was in third grade (which may explain a few things). If nothing else, the kid will be able to get work as a longshoreman unloading barges with all the muscles he is developing carrying all those books. Hopefully they will come up with virtual textbooks on Twitter or something before they have to have staff chiropractors in elementary schools.
That image of being overwhelmed by a load too heavy to manage should be a familiar one. David said, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4). We can allow ourselves to become weighed down with burdens of our own creation that overwhelm us. The invitation of Christ is to exchange our heavy loads for his light one. The words are familiar ones from Matthew 11:28-30—
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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.”
The words are familiar; our success in carrying through is not. Peter invites us to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Why do we insist on dragging those old anxieties around? Lack of faith? Yes, often that is it. But we also have an unwillingness to give up control. To cast our burdens on God is also to make ourselves vulnerable to Him, and that can be scary. We’d rather trudge on like the little guy struggling home from the bus. We have to learn that if we’ll just lay the burden down, Jesus will carry it. He already carried his cross!
2 comments:
Very good points I will take them to heart.
There were many children when I was in school who did not need to carry books home, They seemed quite confounded that I was unable to finish my homework at school, as they did with ease. With few exceptions I carried home every book every day and most nights worked until late into the night, just to make the grade. I am not complaining, clerical skills have never been my strongest talent and I had to work very hard. I developed endurance and learned persistents. I have developed a slight curve in my spine and the left leg is slightly shorter than the right, maybe a result of walking on the right side of the road with all those books under my right arm. The daily walk was not that bad and I learned to be thankful for the good wether most days and learned carry a trash bag to keep the books dry.
Seriously, I do tend to carry more than I must and it is time I put down the load and take rest.
Here is some food for thought. . .
Heavy bookbags hurt students, physical therapists urge safety
by WAWAYTV3.com 24 August 2007 - 6:21pm
School has started or is starting soon and physical therapists are trying to make sure kids don't hurt themselves by having too much in their backpacks.
Studies show a student's bookbag should be no more than 15 percent of their body weight.
Heavy backpacks can cause neck tension, back problems, and even nerve damage. Also, therapists warn that wearing a backpack the wrong way could lead to permanent posture problems.
Physical therapist Marcia Scullion said, "Your grandma used to say if you make a face like this it's going to stick. This is basically the same thing… Your body will make adaptive changes according to your posture."
Scullion says the proper way to wear a backpack is with the straps tightly secured with the majority of the weight in the center of the back.
The bookbag should not hang down past the lumbar region of the spine.
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