A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city:
and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. Proverbs 18:19
Should we care?
If someone has a problem with us?
Jesus said yes.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar,
and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way;
first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matthew 5:23-24
What if thy brother is out of line?
Have you ever tried to plead your case before the Lord in such an instance?
Go ahead.
See what happens.
There are two sides to every story.
I met a man when I was a very young Christian.
We were talking about forgiveness
and he told me some terrible things that two people had done to him.
The things were really terrible.
I asked the Lord about the situation:
“My word doesn’t say if certain things are bad you don’t have to forgive.
My word says to forgive.”
What Jesus taught includes all of the following and then some:
Forgiveness
Love
Kindness
Compassion
Going the extra mile
Turning the other cheek
Letting go of your ego
There is no excuse
If you try and it doesn’t work, then you tried.
God knows your heart, your efforts, your intents.
I’m battling in my mind right now about someone
who was really rude and unfair to me just last night.
I’m not supposed to let the sun go down on my anger.
I did start the process of forgiveness, that is, choosing to forgive,
trying to forgive, praying that I can forgive.
I can’t tell if I’ve forgiven him from the bottom of my heart.
I think I haven’t because it keeps creeping up and I’m bugged about it.
I’m the one with the ought.
The guy isn’t doing what he’s supposed to do!
Apologizing and trying to reconcile.
That’s the answer here!
Both sides have responsibilities.
The one who has ought really should forgive
whether the offender apologizes or not.
The offender is to do his or her best to offer a hand
of reconciliation to help the person with ought,
who is offended, to be freed from the offense.
The Holy Spirit will help both sides, so what is the problem here?
Wounded egos.
The times I have known someone else had ought,
sometimes I did what I was supposed to and sometimes I didn’t.
Isn’t it amazing how you know what the word says,
but with the flesh and the cares of this world,
things can get swept under the rug?
Things of God, even though you know them,
can be less important than they should be.
We are all a work in progress.
Seems easy enough to do what we’re supposed to do.
I mean, we have the Holy Spirit,
the Maker of Heaven and Earth available to help us.
But yet, we don’t ask, don’t do what we should,
don’t exhibit love, and let our wounded egos get in the way.
Humility
Gratitude
Obedience
If we don’t humble ourselves, He will do it.
Now or later.
It will happen.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased;
and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Matthew 23:12
Scriptural References:
But I say unto you,
That ye resist not evil:
but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek,
turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law,
and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Give to him that asketh thee,
and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Matthew 5:39-41
Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Luke 6:28
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Ephesians 4:26
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Philippians 2:3