Matthew 18:15 – “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.   19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” (NLT)

Have you ever had someone do you wrong?  Of course you have, we all have, and so this passage speaks to everyone.  Jesus tells us to first go to the one who has offended us.  Let us consider what this implies.  It implies that we will not go to our friends and talk about what this person has done. Some Christians even go so far as to share something as a ‘prayer concern’, when in fact it is nothing more that griping and gossiping.

When we consider the Word of God in its entirety, we understand that Jesus is not telling us to go and confront someone with every little thing that they do that bothers us!  The Apostle Paul tells us: Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:13).  Yet, we know that there are some offenses that run so deeply that we cannot simply overlook them.  These are the instances when we must go and discuss the matter with the other person. 

Some time ago, I unintentionally hurt someone’s feelings.  What I did truly hurt them deeply.  I am so glad that this person did not feel inclined to simply go and tell others how insensitive I had been. Instead, this person came to me privately.  Because of the Christian – Christ like – manner in which this person confronted me, I clearly recognized the wrong that I committed, and have been able to correct the wrong.  This is why this advice from Jesus is so vital. It not only has the power to reconcile two people, it gives someone the opportunity to change themselves for the better.

If someone hurts you today, prayerfully consider if it is such an offense that needs to be corrected.  If so, pray first, then go and speak to the offender.  You may discover that your speaking to the offender is the very voice of God speaking to them! 

Posted by Ramón Torres