Among the most powerful tools God gives us in the Christian family is the tool of encouragement. We all need encouragement. We all know how powerful encouragement is. We all realize that encouragement can come from anyone--special training is not required to give encouragement to someone!
When is encouragement most effective? When does a person most need encouragement in the Christian family? Likely encouragement is most needed when we as Christians are least likely to give it. While we all appreciate encouragement anytime, we especially need encouragement when we fail!
What is our typical reaction to spiritual failure in God's family? Too commonly, we react in these ways: "Why did you do that? How could you do that?" "If you did that, you deserve everything you get!" "Do you not realize how many people you influenced to do evil when you did that?" "You ought to be ashamed! You hurt all of us!" "Do you enjoy making God cry?" "It will take forever for the church to live this down! What you did set the work here back 50 years!"
We typically are poor in finding God's balance between compassion and consequence. That is one reason we make such poor judges! God wants to save us in spite of our weakness. We want to punish people because of their weakness. Much too often, gentleness has no place in our concept of godliness. We are so afraid of condoning evil that we fear gentleness.
Paul obviously was upset when he wrote Galatians. As examples, (1) consider Galatians 1:6-10. Judaizing teachers' effectiveness in deceiving gentile Christians deeply disturbed him! Or, (2) consider Paul's directness when he discussed the deeds, or works, of the flesh (Galatians 5:13-21).
However, even though Paul made it clear he was distressed at the situation, he was not vengeful at the deceived. A huge mistake was made, but those deceived by the mistake were to be corrected gently.
Why? "Why should those gullible Christians be corrected gently? If they caused Paul so much concern, why be gentle with them?" Note the following.
(1) The spiritual should do the restoring. These were the people who realized the enormous value God places on those captured by evil. They understand that God gave His son for the lost (John 3:16, 17). They understand that Jesus came to benefit the helpless while they were helpless (Romans 5:6). They understand that God values a person's repentance over his or her condemnation (2 Peter 3:9). The spiritual will value the person by God's concern, not by human resentment.
(2) The spiritual will use a "spirit of gentleness." They understand Paul's concern. Satan can use the restoration of the Christian who fell to tempt the Christian who did not fall to the same temptation. How can Satan use a Christian's failure to tempt a stronger Christian? Few things are as irritating to God as is human arrogance. Rescuing a fallen Christian is not based on the goodness of the one who rescues, but on the need of the fallen. The rescuer is constantly aware of this fact: "Satan could also deceive me! Let me be as gentle with him or her as I would appreciate someone being with me."
(3) The law [rule] to be followed when rescuing any Christian is the law of Christ. Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of self-sacrifice. Jesus refused to be arrogant. He refused to say, "You are not worth it!" He served! He forgave! He loved the unlovable! He ransomed those who made horrible mistakes! Even in his painful, undeserved death, he prayed for those who rejected and killed him: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). If Jesus, the sinless, could feel such compassion for those gambling for his clothes as he died, who are we, the forgiven, to resent those who have been deceived?
(4) We take our mission from Jesus Christ! We exist to bear the burdens of others. We all exist to assume responsibility for ourselves, but we also assume responsibility to help others. In Jesus' words: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:25-28). Just as Jesus came to rescue, we exist to rescue!
It is true that the way we invest our lives determines the result we will receive. We cannot exist to fulfill the deeds of the flesh and receive the rewards of God. It is true that we must not get tired of doing good even if doing good is not appreciated. It is true that while we seek to do good to everyone, we have an added responsibility to do good to those in God's family.
Why is that true? It is true because God values people! "Thank you, Father! Because that means You value us!"
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 11