"If another member of the Church sins against you..."

The Gospel from yesterday (Matthew 18:15-20) begins with Jesus setting up a hypothetical but very realistic situation. In it we are offended by someone we should be able to trust--another member of the church. Jesus then lays out a course of actions that involve confrontation, one of the things we avoid the most, that are intended to lead to reconciliation. Only after exceptional efforts have been expended, and the nature and ownership of the offense have been agreed to by so large a body of people as "the church," can another be counted "as a Gentile and tax collector." This flys in the face of the way we normally act. If we are offended we either snap back in anger, or withdraw. After all, "Once burned, twice shy," goes the old adage. The Gospel message is quite clear, that writing another off because of one offense in not good enough. Our relationships are too important.

Jesus also gives a course of actions when it we who are the offenders. "Leave your offering at the altar," and go and make peace with the one whom we have offended.

At the heart of both of these instructions is, of course, the expectation of forgiveness. In the Lord's Prayer we ask that we be forgiven by God to the extent that we forgive others. When Jesus is asked how many times we are to forgive another, he goes to hyperbolic "seventy times seven." Living as a Christian is all about forgiving and being forgiven.

Relationship, forgiveness and reconciliation seem to be the keys.

With whom could loving confrontation bring peace to your life? From whom should you be seeking forgiveness? Who should you be actively seeking to forgive?

Mike+