But one day, as I was preparing a message from the Sermon on the Mount in regard to Matthew 5:23,24, the Holy Spirit said in my mind, clear as day, “Apologize to your brother.” I immediately felt righteous indignation and began to defend myself and justify why I was right and he was wrong and if anyone should be apologizing, it should be him. After all, he was the sinner, not me. He was the one who was breaking God’s laws, not me—I was serving God, I was teaching His word, I was willing to call out sin as sin and stand on my convictions. But on that day, God showed me that in my heart, I saw myself as morally superior to my brother. He showed me that I held contempt in my heart toward sinners. He showed me that when I called out sin, I did it with anger in my heart. I was angry at people for their sin. And instead of interceding for them, as a priest of God’s kingdom should do, I was bringing them before His throne like Satan and accusing them (Zechariah 3:1; Rev 12:10).
On that day, God showed me what He could see but I could not: that I had been unmerciful toward my brother and that I had contemptuously wanted my brother to feel shame for what he did, I wanted my brother to be judged. But what God showed me on that day, was that He took far more issue with what was in my heart toward my brother, rather than what my brother did in his flesh in ignorance and immaturity. The Sprit told me to apologize to my brother for shaming him and for my harshness and to not defend myself or try to justify why I did it, but to simply die to my pride, humble myself, and show my brother the true, reconciliatory love of Jesus Christ.
A few days later, when I met my brother for lunch, I could tell that he was expecting me to come at him with both holy-shotgun barrels a’blastin’. And I will never forget the look on his face when I simply told him that I loved him and that I was sorry if I hurt him. His eyes filled with tears and it was like a huge weight had been lifted from us. In an instant, all the bitterness between us melted away and everything was healed. It wasn’t me calling out my brother’s sin that had healing power, it was my willingness to die to my own reasoning and pride and reach out to him in meekness and mercy.
(Gal 5:21,22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Col 3:12) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
(Eccl 7:8) The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
(Luke 9:53- ) But the people there refused to welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples, James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven and consume them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of.”
(1 Peter 2:6) .. you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
(Heb 7:25) Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
(Heb 12:14,15) Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
(2 Cor 5:18-20) All this is from God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.
(Posted on Facebook 1/26/2021 Talitha Koum)
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