“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Galatians 6:1-10 ESV

We live in a very litigious society. There are always plenty of lawyers available on billboards and city busses ready and willing to go to battle for you…for a small fee. We have all been pretty well trained to be cynical and untrusting and there doesn’t seem to be any slowing in the pace in regards to this unfortunate trend.

But for Christians, our attitude is always supposed to be different. The way we interact with people, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ, is supposed to stand in stark contrast to the way the world does things. We shouldn’t be ready to attack, we should be ready to restore. We shouldn’t be ready to bite back when we are wounded, we should be ready to seek healing with that other person. Yes that is going to be difficult sometimes, many times in fact, but to honor God by trusting in. His way of doing things far outweighs any personal ‘satisfaction’ we may get from trying to drag someone else through the mud.

Jesus tells a parable about an unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Matthew 18:21-35 ESV

And as Christians, this is what we must remember. No one will ever, ever offend us more than we have offended God. We must always be ready with grace and mercy in our hands, mouths and hearts. We do not seek the destruction of another person, but rather to lift them up. No matter the offense? Yes. No matter the offense. We need to forgive as we have been forgiven, and be willing to die to self and our perceived ‘right to retribution’ so that another person who may have stumbled may be restored.

God takes care of making sure the ledger is balanced in the end. That is not up to us to work out today. Yes, we judge a tree by its fruit, and yes, as Christians, we are called to hold one another accountable. But we do not do things as the world does them, we seek restoration as Christ directs us, and we seek that in God’s wisdom, through His Spirit, and His Word.

Again, from Galatians 6, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Remember what you have been forgiven and show mercy appropriately. The person who is forgiven much loves much, and the person who is forgiven little, loves little (Luke 7.) And our goal as we follow Christ, is to love much, remembering just how much we have been forgiven. So, GoLove in His Spirit today.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
Matthew 5:5-9 ESV