Wednesday, August 2, 2017

TIM

Good morning, I’m Tim Wise, Sanctuary Choir Director at Central.

In church today, we often try to find ways to divide ourselves against others and even sometimes against our own. We tend to do a lot of classifying and organizing as well as including and excluding people, and it is often over small disagreements. By doing these things we tend to put people on the outside looking in rather than including them.

Matthew 18:15-17 says this:
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone…If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you...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.”

My point is this: if someone causes you harm or sins against you, go to them, and give them a chance to redeem themselves. And give them every opportunity they are due. And if they still refuse, treat them as a tax collector- so how did Jesus treat tax collectors and gentiles and other “undesirables”? He treated them with LOVE! He continued to love them. So, do as Jesus did and share the love.