October 28, 2024

Galatians  6.1 (NIV)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

Restoration, and not retribution or retaliation, must be the purpose of our dialogue with one another.*

When trying to restore someone who is caught in sin, what might we be tempted to do? We might be tempted to be judgmental; to oversimplify the solution; to run! We might even be tempted to be presumptuous. What we must do when we are aware of a brother or sister’s sin, is to bathe them in prayer before taking it upon ourselves to address the issue with them. 

There was a time when I felt that a certain friend needed some wise counsel from me. I did okay at first – told her what she needed to hear, what she needed to do about a specific situation, but I guess it felt so good to be right and to have her at my mercy that I got carried away. It was not my finest hour.

 

Today, I find it helpful to ask myself three qualifying questions: Does it need to be said? Does it need to be said now? Does it need to be said by me?* If the answer is no to any of them, I butt out. I don’t see this as abdicating my responsibility – if someone is trapped in a burning house, I’m going to leave the rescuing to the fireman if there is one available.

 

The word translated “restore,” is also used in the context of “to set in joint,” as with a dislocated bone.  Our goal with the person caught in sin is to “put him back in his place,” not alienate him. This is not a job for a spiritually immature person, and each of us should examine ourselves before setting out to correct someone else.  

Those who have been overtaken in any fault ought to reckon a faithful reproof the greatest kindness than can be done them and a wise reprover their best friend.*