“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:30 NIV
Light Burden
Canadians carry a heavy tax burden. According to a report by the Fraser Institute, “If we factor in federal and provincial deficits, and assume all governments raised taxes to balance their budgets in 2023, Tax Freedom Day – the day the average Canadian would be free of paying taxes for the rest of the year – would arrive June 27. Put differently, the average Canadian family had to work nearly half the year to pay all those taxes imposed on it by governments, when accounting for both current and deferred taxes.”
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One of my most prized possessions is a mid-19th Century double oxen yoke. This heavy yoke of wood and steel kept two strong farm animals working together to do the hard work of farming. In this case, neither the yoke, nor the work, is easy. When it came to farming in the mid-19th century things hadn’t changed a lot since the days of Jesus – the work of farming was not easy. So why would Jesus say this, in Matthew 11:30: “’For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’” There is a cost to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. He calls us to take up our cross daily to follow Him. Surely loving our enemies is not easy. Taking the Good News to the entire world is hard work. The Gospels are clear – it’s all in for those who are true followers of Jesus. How, then, can He say that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light? Well because Jesus does the heavy lifting and promises to provide all we need for the task to which He calls us.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley