Dealing with the Red Letters

Matthew 5:23-24, "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering."

I have often heard that if we would take the "red letters" of Christ serious then it would dramatically change the way we lived and how the church was perceived. We will use these words of Jesus as an example. How many of us have actually left during a worship setting to make things right with our brother/sister? Or do we just go right on singing, giving, hearing, and doing ministry with offense in our heart? Something to think about.

Please understand that I'm not asking if you were able to bring reconciliation. That's really up to the other person. What I am asking is if you are willing to allow the words of Christ to come alive in you? You see, the grace of God elevates our lives to a higher standard. It's not just enough to go through the motions. We cannot allow bitterness, offense, or anger to reside in our hearts. We must be willing to do what is necessary to expel these things from our life. If it were not possible, I don't believe Jesus would have instructed us to carry this out. In reality, all things are possible with God. We just need to be willing to partner with Him.

Personally, what I have done is take the words of Christ and compare them with the Holy Spirit inspired words of Paul: Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." All I can do is all I can do. I cannot force anyone to reconcile with me but I can be reconciled to them. I can approach people in humility and honesty. Seek their forgiveness. And pray that their hearts will be turned. While I can't make it happen, I can do what I can do. From that moment forward, my heart is pure as it relates to the situation.

If these verses were alive in us and our fellowships I think the world would view us much differently than they do today. Think about it: Would churches be considered unloving, unkind, and/or unforgiving if we took the words of Christ seriously? When people know they will be loved, relationships will be cherished, and that people are willing to walk in honor toward one another - it will make a radical difference in their perception. They may not agree with everything we believe but they will have to take notice of how we treat one another.

The challenging part of Jesus' words in Matthew is that it hits us right in our religious mindsets. It begs the question, What is God really after? The answer: He's after our hearts. When our hearts are in line with Him then we don't have to leave gifts at the altar to make things right. We will have already taken care of these issues. When our hearts are in line with Him then forgiveness becomes a part of our nature and reconciliation is an attainable goal. It is my opinion that there should not be any issues that divide brothers & sisters in Christ. Especially when we consider that love "bears all things."

I believe that this culture can be cultivated even within "organized religion." If I didn't, I would not be a part of it. That may sound like a bold statement but if those who claim to love God are not willing to operate in love with others then we are wasting our time and making a sham of the gospel of reconciliation. How we teat one another matters to God. Therefore, it needs to matter to us. I challenge you to make much of God and others in your life. Do what you can to live peaceably with all men. Seek reconciliation where it is needed. And allow the Lord to demonstrate His love through your life. You won't be sorry.