Nuggets 76: The Most Disobeyed Command

  • B. Shelburne
  • Jul 9, 2007
  • Series: Nuggets

The leader from an African village church wiped sweat from his face as he dismounted from his bicycle.  He had pedaled 35 miles to the mission.  He was burdened about trouble in his home church and wanted to talk to a missionary.

After a meal and time to rest, our brother came to the mission office.  He gave a sad account of the misbehavior of a fellow leader in the church.  After expressing regret, the missionary asked, "What was the response of the other leader when you talked to him about his sin?"  "Oh, I haven't talked to him.  I have come to you so you can go to him and get him to stop treating me this way."

The missionary got out his Bible and read the command of Jesus:  "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you."  He said to the leader, "I am sorry you have made such a hard trip for nothing.  But it would be wrong for others of us to get involved before you have done the first thing Jesus tells you to do."  There is probably no command of Jesus more disobeyed than this one.  When I am angry and hurt, the wrongdoer is the last person I want to talk to.  The natural thing is to tell as many other people as possible.  When this happens in a church or a family, people soon get lined up on opposite sides behind the two combatants.  A huge number of divisions and alienations would never happen if we only humbled ourselves enough to follow the steps of reconciliation given by Jesus.

When I talk to everyone but the wrongdoer, I am indulging my pride and my natural feelings.  I am handling things in the worldly way.  I am thinking of my own satisfaction.  When I go to the offender as Jesus commands, I am thinking of that person's salvation, of the value of our relationship, and of the welfare of the family, church, etc.  Of course Jesus wants a just resolution of conflicts.  But he is more interested in godly peace than in preserving my pride.  Jesus is teaching damage control.  He knows the devil has a playhouse when gossip inflames and divides.

Jesus went to a painful cross to reconcile us to God and to one another.  Surely we can take up the small cross of going straight to the one who has hurt us.

 

Matthew 18:15-17;  5:23,24;  Galatians 6:1,2;  James 3:17,18;  Ephesians 4:26,27;  Romans 12:17-21;  Proverbs 26:20,21;  Matthew 16:24,25

 

 

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Copyright 2007 by G.B. Shelburne, III.  May be freely reproduced or forwarded for non-commercial purposes provided content is unchanged and this copyright notice is included.  These shepherding messages are sent to members and friends of New Beginnings Church (www.nbchurch.com), to students and alumni of South Houston Bible Institute (www.shbi.org), and to other interested persons.

 

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