- If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. Matthew 18:15 – Many years ago I taught a youth lesson about reconciliation. The heart of it was that our enemy loves to drive wedges between us and other believers. If there is any sort or disagreement or hurt between two believers, the enemy snatches the opportunity to drive a wedge within the newly formed crack to not only keep the crack from coming back together but also to have it expand. It’s an evil work, but the enemy is exceedingly skilled at it. While a little corny, I gave the students a rhyme to hold onto when such an attack from the enemy comes their way. “I pledge to kick the wedge off the ledge.” I had them imagine standing on the ledge of a cliff with whatever “wedge” the enemy was seeking to add to their relationships. They were to see that wedge and kick that thing as far off the ledge into oblivion as possible. Such is Jesus’ heart with this passage. If a brother sins against you somehow don’t let the enemy drive a wedge between you and them. Don’t gripe about it, gossip about it, and stew over it for days. Either forgive him and let it go, or go talk with him about it. Those are your only two scripturally acceptable options when a hurt is done against you. Holding bitterness against them is sin, living a life of avoiding them is sin, speaking poorly about them to others is sin. Pledge to kick the wedge off the ledge. Give Jesus the victory here by seeking reconciliation with your brother. Forgive, have conversation, and seek peace as far as it depends on you. No, they still may not listen or even desire healing. They may be content with the “wedge” remaining and you can do nothing about that, you just don’t be content with it. Jesus set the example of removing the barrier between us and Him, let’s seek the same with others. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3340
- Then his master summoned him and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” Matthew 18:32-33 – A forgiving heart comes from a heart that has taken in how deeply it has been forgiven. When we realize how much horrid things we have done that God has forgiven us for how can we continue to hold unforgiveness over the heads of those around us? We plead for God not to do that with us yet think it’s okay to do that for others? Love like you have been loved and forgive like you have been forgiven. God’s about unity which is why He forgave us, seek unity with others by forgiving them like God has forgiven you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 872
- If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Matthew 18:17 – In the past I always understood this passage to be directing us to remove the person from our midst and have no contact with them. Even writing that out just now seemed so wrong and so contrary to the heart of Jesus. What then is this passage saying instead? What might help with that is remembering who is writing this gospel account. Matthew, who before Jesus called him, was a tax collector. So how are we to treat those who refuse to listen? We are to treat them as a gentile and as a tax collector. Meaning we are to treat them as someone far from Jesus, yet someone who deeply needs Jesus. We are to show deep love to them so they can see the deep love God has for them. We are to seek opportunities to share the gospel message with them. We are to pray that their hearts would be open to Jesus. Would we shun and refuse to love someone that doesn’t know Jesus? Of course not, why then would we do this here with those who clearly don’t know the gospel of Jesus. Be sure when you come across passages that may be confusing to understand you compare it to the entire narrative of scripture. That God’s heart is people coming to Him and our role is to point people to Jesus. Who then in your story has walked away from the church that you can begin showing deep love to today? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1968
Daily DEVO 