Helping others

 Helping others

Matthew 18:15

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Most issues with people could be dealt with and resolved with this first step. Sadly most of us don’t do this. We either talk about the issue with everyone else, gossip, or we just hold it up inside, hold offense/ bitterness.

These are harmful things to us but even more to the other person.

When we do what this verse says to do, with the right attitude, we are showing them love. Love in that we want to have a good relationship with them but also love in that we are confronting them with something in their life that isn’t good for them.

This may shock some of you but I am not perfect and I mess up sometimes. I know, I know you may not believe it but it is true.

Today I had a friend reach out to me about something that I could of handled better. It was something that I didn’t realize I had messed up until it was pointed out. By my friend coming and confronting me it kept our relationship in good standing, it also showed me that I had messed up, allowed for the Holy Spirit to educate me in this area, and allowed me to ask for forgiveness.

All and all it was a very positive experience and I have gained from it.

Now if my friend had of stayed silent there would have been no instruction, I wouldn’t have known that I needed to ask for forgiveness and our friendship would have suffered. If my friend had talked about my mess up with others that would have damaged my reputation with them, I still wouldn’t have received instruction to do better and I wouldn’t have asked for forgiveness because either I still wouldn’t know or would be upset at being gossiped about and our friendship would have been damaged or ended.

Doing things God’s way is always best for everyone involved.