The Lord of the Rings series is the classic example of friends who are with you through it all. Sam and Frodo are legendary BFFs. Sam is committed to watching over his friend Frodo on his dangerous mission to destroy the Ring. Sam goes above and beyond, uttering the legendary line, “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well” (J. R. R. Tolkien, The Return of the King [New York: Random House, 1966], 233). In our lifetime, we will need friends like Sam to help us bear our burdens. It can be awkward to talk honestly and openly with someone else about sexual purity, but people who abide by this teaching in Galatians make it easier. If we know we won’t find shame and judgment but instead gentleness and kindness, then we don’t have to hide our struggles. In fact, treating each other with respect and grace can encourage and empower us to press on in our faith walk. Are there people in your life who might be able to offer you a shoulder to lean on when you need it? Can you be the type of person who meets someone’s guilt with a heart for restoration rather than judgment?
