23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. ~ Matthew 5:23-24CSB
Jesus tells us that if we’re bringing an offering to God and we’ve wronged our brother or sister, we must first go to the person we’ve wronged and make things right. So, does this then mean that we have the right to hold our brother or sister up for a wrong that they have committed against us? My flesh would love to say yes, but no. We have no right to do so.
Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, He stressed the importance and necessity of forgiving. Not for the other person’s sake but for our own. He made it clear that if we don’t forgive, then we won’t be forgiven. So, what is Jesus saying here? When we wrong our brother or sister in Christ, it’s not them we have to worry about, but God.
Throughout Scripture, God makes it clear that vengeance belongs to Him. That He will defend, protect, and fight for His people. Therefore, if you have wronged one of God’s people, one of His children, then it isn’t the person not forgiving you that you have to worry about; God will deal with them, and it is God you have to worry about. It is God coming to the defense of that person and seeking justice on their behalf. Why?
Because God is a just judge. Therefore, He will vindicate His people. When we allow our eyes to be blind and our hearts to grow hardened, we begin to become narcissistically blinded to the feelings, needs, and boundaries of those around us.
This leads us into a spiritual slumber that will cause our love to grow cold. When our love grows cold, our prayers stop getting answered. Our offerings stop being accepted. Our communication with God becomes halted.
Therefore, pray for love. Seek the LORD to give You His heart, His eyes, and His arms so that you might know when you’ve hurt someone, as well as the humility to ask for forgiveness and make it right with them again.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Awaken Remorse.
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