When things are going right, you're alone, you're just worshipping God, things are quiet.
It begins to be a challenge when you are forced to interact with others. People are of utmost value, not objects or obstacles in your way. However, it's easy to see them as such. People are free will agents, and their choices, habits, and manners do not always coexist peacefully with yours. Therefore, conflict arises. This, like any time of stress and testing, is when the mettle of a believer is shown. Are they full of grace and compassion? Loving those around them so consistently that an impression can be made?
Jesus gave us a blueprint for conflict that is so easy to understand. He said (in Matthew 18:15):
"'If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.'"
There is no scandal there. No gossip. No public lynching. This is a private matter, and it should be settled as such. Jesus cares about people's dignity, and so should we.
"'If he listens to y ou, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'"
This is tough-love confrontation, but it's powerful and humbling for all those involved. This step is only to be taken, of course, when step one has been done and failed. Skipping ahead to points two and three have been done within the body of Christ a few times without bothering to do step one (you think?); and this is sad. It's such a simple blueprint and guideline that we should not screw this stuff up.
"'If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
"'I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
"'Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My Name, there am I with them.'"
If we actually believed in Jesus, we would see ourselves on a divine mission, supplied with divine power. I'm not exactly sure what this "binding and loosing" stuff is or means, but I think it's closely linked with our call as "ministers of reconciliation" and "ambassadors" and "disciples," whom He anointed and basically said, "Go and do what I did."
If we took that at face value (I don't think this was just some metaphor), we might see those around us benefitting from us being here. If all we are is Christians who the people around us would rather see dead, then I don't think we are accomplishing our mission (unless, of course, it's that blind hatred that led to persecution and martyrdom for so many in the first century who took Jesus at His Word).
Jesus goes on to tell an awesome parable about forgiveness in this chapter. A guy who owed this other powerful guy a ton of money was brought before him and forced to pay off the huge debt. His family was going to be sold as slaves to help lower the debt. He pleaded for mercy and, you know what? He was given mercy. Then this guy with his new-found freedom found some other guy who owed him a little bit of money. He began to choke him and demand his money. The guy got on his knees and begged him for mercy, but found none. Instead this newly forgiven servant threw his fellow servant into debtor's prison. When the more powerful guy found out about it, he was furious. Surely, this guy who was forgiven much should have forgiven others (especially the little debt/offense). This guy was turned over to be tortured, until he paid back the debt. It's interesting to note that the story doesn't have a nice Disney rated-G ending. The third servant with the small debt doesn't get talked about. We don't learn that he gets set free. We might have to assume that he's still in prison, too. That's gnarly.
Then Jesus says, "'This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.'"
We must forgive others. We must be about peace. We've been given a mission. When we first accept Christ, we can go through a "honeymoon phase," where everything is joy and happiness, as we look around and see God at work "everywhere," but when time marches on and the "rubber meets the road," it's those life challenges that will test us and also give us opportunity to let God's life live in us.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at September 27, 2005 09:29 AM