Caring for One Another

Thoughts on Galatians 5:13; Galatians 6:2: Ephesians 6:18

Happiness is one of those elusive things we all chase but struggle to define. Neuroscientists can now track the brain’s activity when we experience joy, but knowing what makes us happy is still up for debate. Marketers will tell you it’s prosperity. The more we have, the happier we’ll be.

But the research says otherwise. Today we are four times wealthier than they were in the 1950s, yet no happier. Money can ease burdens, but it doesn’t secure joy. Most people who study the sociology of happiness point to one answer: other people. People with deep, caring relationships consistently report higher levels of happiness than those without them.

That shouldn’t surprise us. Scripture has been saying the same thing for a long time. Joy is rooted not in possessions, but in relationships. That is one of the reasons why the New Testament gives us the “one another” commands—reminders that community is built, not stumbled into. Consider three of these passages under the title: caring for one another.

1. Serving One Another

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13)

Through Christ, we are free from the law’s demands. But Paul insists that this freedom isn’t for self-indulgence. True freedom expresses itself in service.

One author compared the difference between selfishness and service to the difference between a black hole and a star. A black hole is an astronomical body so dense that its gravity prevents anything from escaping, even light. A black hole swallows everything near it and gives nothing back. A star radiates light and warmth. That’s what makes life possible.
So, the question is simple: are you a black hole or a star?

Serving others doesn’t always mean dramatic acts. It looks like nursery volunteers caring for babies on Sunday morning, greeters who smile at the door, people who set up the chairs before the service. It looks like coaching a youth team, giving a ride to a senior, or picking up garbage at a local park.

You are never more like Jesus than when you serve.

2. Carrying One Another’s Burdens

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

A few verses later he adds:
“Each one should carry their own load.” (v.5)

Is that a contradiction? Not at all. The word for “load” describes a soldier’s backpack—the normal responsibilities of daily life. Those we should carry ourselves. But “burden” refers to crushing weights—those extraordinary hardships that no one can carry alone.

When those moments come—and they will—we need community.

The Return of the King is the third volume of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings. In the book (and the movie based on the book), Frodo collapses under the weight of the Ring. Sam, his loyal friend, cradles him and, speaking of the Ring of Power, he says: “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.” That’s the picture Paul paints.

I’ve experienced it myself. Years ago, after a painful season of ministry, my wife and I came home wounded and confused. A tiny church in a cornfield invited me to preach. Then they invited us to stay. They didn’t fix our struggles. They carried us. For eight years, they held us up until we could stand again.

Sometimes the most Christlike thing you can do is simply hold someone until they can walk again.

3. Praying for One Another

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests… always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Prayer weaves the vertical into the horizontal. Serving and carrying are essential, but prayer invites God’s strength into places we cannot reach.

I once knew a man who lived in constant, seamless conversation with God. Buying spinach at the grocery store, he prayed aloud for guidance. Driving past a siren, he prayed for whoever was in danger. Talking to me, he would shift mid-sentence into prayer. Quirky? Yes. But unforgettable.

What if our community became like that? What if prayer slipped naturally from conversation, so ordinary and unforced that people knew God’s presence was never far away?

The healthiest communities are not just places of care, but places of prayer.

So how do we start caring for one another this week? Four practical steps:

1. Find a place to serve. Don’t be a black hole. Pick one simple way to shine.
2. Identify one person’s burden. Ask God to show you just one person who needs help.
3. Take one small step. Cook a meal, write a note, offer a ride, pray with someone.
4. Move seamlessly into prayer. Don’t just promise to pray—pray right then and there.

Caring for one another is not optional. It is how community moves beyond surface conversations to deep joy. Serving, carrying, and praying are not only commands—they are gifts.

Because when we open space in our lives for others, we open space for God. And when God moves into that space, that is where true happiness is found.