He Ain't Heavy


My heart sinks when I see pictures like this one.. it is reminiscent of Cain's questioning answer to God in the fourth chapter of Genesis:

Am I my brother's keeper?

Now I am not saying that people need to be bailed out.. all I am saying is that this in-your-face kind of callous rhetoric really bothers me.. it so lacks class, grace and compassion.



Maybe the following song from 1969 gives us a better response to people who have made mistakes.. people who are hurting.. people who know that they have blown it and so need someone to encourage them.

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

The road is long with many of winding turns
That lead us to who knows where,
who knows where
But I'm strong,
strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go
His welfare is my concern
No burden is he to bear, we'll get there

For I know
he would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

If I'm laden at all,
I am laden with sadness that
everyone's heart isn't filled with the gladness
of Love for one another

It's a long long road
From which there is no return
while we're on our way to there why not share

And the load doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy , he's my brother
Say it with me.. He ain't heavy.. He's my brother.

6 comments:

  1. Uh oh - the picture doesn't show up - just a little x in a big box!

    But the sentiment... I do like that, because I think our Lord must be highly grieved to see us so lacking in compassion for our fellow human beings.

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  2. I think that I fixed the picture Sue.. pls let me know if you still cannot see it. Thx.

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  3. I'm with you on this. Grace and compassion is what we need to first have and then give. To get rid of selfcenteredness as well.

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  4. after reading all those comments, I want some viagra. anyway, I've seen that song clip for years and years, but never Knew why it was a big deal that "he ain't heavy". Thank you.

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  5. Late thinking about this, but I realized that I don't mind the sign. It's plain speaking and we don't have enough plain speaking.

    There is a point at which I WOULD mind the sign: if it was out in front of someone's house who was in foreclosure and being bailed out: that would be mean. but in front of an irresponsible bank or mortgage company? I'm good with that.

    We have to be spears: strong and pointed.

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  6. I think the message in the sign is intended for the homeowner rather than the bank. In some cases the homeowner took excessive risk when he assumed that the value of his property would continue to appreciate at a high rate. In all cases I think the mortgage brokers wrote mortgages which they knew were likely, if not certainly, going to fail. However, once the broker sold the mortgage to a bank (how stupid and greedy were the banks) the broker had his profit even if the homeowner defaulted later on.

    The sign's message reflects the selfishness and greed that rule both our public and private sectors, both consumers and business. America will not succeed if any means is justified by the end especially when the means is taking advantage of others; taking value out of the economy rather than delivering value to the economy.

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