A Humble Approach

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:9, And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’?

What a wonderful example of how we should approach our brothers and sisters in Christ when they sin. This is a very rare thing today that we would actually watch each other’s backs when it comes to walking our faith walk. The Word of God tells us to confess our sins to one another. James 5:16 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” For what purpose are we to do this? Based on James 5:16, so that we can be healed as we pray for one another. Sadly, as Christians, we have utterly failed in this regard. We spend way too much time judging each other and putting each other down when we find out that someone has stumbled. Rather than seeing it as an opportunity to lift up one another, far too often it becomes an opportunity to gossip and feel better about ourselves because, “I would NEVER do anything like that!” Yeah, right…some of us are just better at covering up our own secret sins. Nonetheless, I digress. I cannot say this enough, “We must approach each other with humility, never forgetting who we are and where the Lord has brought us from.” Galatians 6:1-3 clearly admonishes us, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” David knew that someday he would be king, and even though God gave him opportunity to remove Saul as an obstacle in his path, David chose obedience to God and humility toward God and King Saul. Here, as he addressed Saul, no one would have blamed him for just laying it down and giving him a piece of his mind for pursuing him without valid reason. Yet, David chose humility and love in addressing Saul about his sin. This is where we drop the ball in dealing with each other. We chasten those who sin, who are our brothers and sisters in Christ, in anger and indignation. We become self-righteous in our attitude, and then further bad mouth the person we have injured with our words and accuse them of being unrepentant, rather than taking a look inwardly and realizing that we made the situation worse with our own attitude. This is one reason the Word of God tells us in James 1:19-20, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” In 1 Peter 4:8 the Apostle reminds us, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” Note what David said. He made this “hard pill to swallow” for Saul in admitting he was wrong, by suggesting that his false thinking was brought on by the words of others, rather than of his own volition. David did not skirt around the issue at hand, he simply chose mercy and kindness in confronting King Saul about his sin against him. Oh that we, as God’s children, would learn to be merciful and kind to each other, as the Lord has been merciful and kind to us in accepting us and forgiving us our trespasses against Him; of which we are ALL guilty. Although David would not lay a hand on Saul to harm him physically, he did the right thing in bringing him face to face with his own sin. We are cruel friends if we choose to allow those we call brothers and friends to continue on a path of destruction, rather than lovingly approach them, bring their sin to their attention, but also offer to be a help in restoring them. Proverbs 27:6 tells us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”. Romans 15:1 also reminds us, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” When we lack love, humility, mercy and kindness toward those who stumble, we push them right into the devils’ hands by causing them to choose isolation rather than trust us with their confessions of sin. Jesus challenged the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees when they brought the woman caught in adultery to Him to be stoned in John 8:7 when He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” I would challenge us to ask ourselves the same question the next time we are presented with an opportunity to lovingly confront and admonish one who has stumbled and finds himself/herself in need of restoration.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).