“If your brother or sister
sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen
to you, you have won them over.” Matthew 18:15
Jesus was alerting his
followers exactly how to deal with a brother or sister in the faith that had sinned. You were to take them aside and correct them
in the hope that they would listen and make a correction in their
behavior. Today in the church we see far
too many cases where gossip is rampant.
The social media, such as, Twitter, Facebook, etc, provide an easy way
to spread unnecessary verbiage about a person’s personal and private situation
so that all know about it. Christian’s
are very much guilty of this, not just those outside the faith. We are to keep public awareness of a person’s
sin to an absolute minimum. Social media
is out of the question and speaking of it to another individual outside of you
and the person confiding in you is a sin in and of itself.
When
a word of kindness and understanding is spoken to the one caught in an
indiscretion, trust is built. Spreading
news of their sin to others destroys any trust that might be forged. A believer who errs needs to have a person
they can trust to share their burden with.
The ridicule or judgment that comes from others knowing can drive a
person away from God altogether.
We as
followers of Christ must develop traits like self-restraint and tact so that we
can readily approach those wrestling with sin, offering God’s mercy and a word
of prayer rather than condemnation.
There is nothing much that is keeping us from falling into the same
snare. Do not become prideful or
arrogant in your faith. Be humble,
understanding that if it were not for the grace and forgiveness of God you
would have been lost forever. Show
others the same unconditional love, compassion and mercy the Lord has shown
you. Until Christ’s return, walk with
the King and be a blessing!
Resources
used:
1) The Reformation Study Bible; 2) The American Heritage Dictionary of
the English Language.
