Revelation 22:11-12 NLT
Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.” “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.
“Let the one who is doing harm continue to harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile;”
There are some things that we do not have to fix.
When I first came to know God and started to read the Bible, basically glossing through it, I could really find the faults of everyone around me.
After all, I’m saved I’m going to heaven, I believe in Jesus!
For me, this included imparting my will on those around me to the point of pushing them away. With those people saying, “If that is what it’s like to be a Christian, I want nothing to do with that!”
When Jesus walked the earth, He attracted huge crowds because of who He was. His compassion for the lost, the sick, and the forgotten.
People came to Him with the faith that if they could touch the fringe of His robe, that they would be healed.
Matthew 9:20-21 NLT
Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”
This display of faith stopped even Jesus Christ in His tracks, to acknowledge this faith.
Matthew 9:22 NLT
Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
As a Christian, the question is my display of character attracting others to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, or is it repelling people away?
If we are not attracting people by the work of Jesus in our hearts, it is time to get on our knees before the throne of God and ask for help.
I think a common problem that we face is that we feel that we have to fix everything. We have to be out in the world as a warrior for God, pointing out all of the injustices that we see, expose them, and impart our will in the situation to our satisfaction.
The more I study the Word of God, the more I find is that I can’t fix anything. I can’t even fix myself, let alone those around me.
But Jesus can!
The best I can do is submit myself to His Word, encourage others to do the same, be there for those around me, and allow people to grow at the pace that God has laid out.
The thing is everyone is going to have to give an account to God.
Romans 14:12-13 NLT
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
Think about this: if what we do causes someone to become resentful, this is causing others to stumble. When we go around, slinging the Word of God around like a wrecking ball, this is what we do.
Ephesians 4:15 NLT
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Sometimes, we may take the “truth in love” part as liberty to let it fly.
There is a manner that we approach others that can ultimately have an unintended effect when we speak our “truth in love.”
But the way we approach people should be in this spirit:
Colossians 3:12 NLT
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Our approach should be with questions; it should be to draw out what they have in their hearts if they are a Christian.
When people conclude on their own, with the help of God’s Spirit, it is something that will stick and will never leave them.
But if it merely gets us off their backs, there may be a temporary change, but it will never stick.
Doing this takes time.
Doing this takes patience.
Doing this takes Humility.
Doing this takes love.
And we may learn something about ourselves in the process by God’s Hand that will never leave us.
Heavenly Father, please allow me the ability to love people the way You live people.
Help me draw out of people what You have put in their hearts without pushing my will.
Give me the patience to do this with humility in my heart.
I know that You work all things out for those in Jesus Christ; help me believe this with every fiber of my being.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
