Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.
Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:1-10 ESV)
Here in the opening of Galatians chapter 6 we are called to restore our brothers and sisters when we see catch them in a transgression a sin. We who are spiritual must for the betterment of the body of Christ and for our brother and sisters rebuke them and correct their behavior! But wait a minute…
It does not say to rebuke them, or that we have to correct their behavior. The reading says we are to restore them in a spirit of gentleness. We are to help them see that what they are doing may not be the best thing for them and help them see this. Not bring the smack down on them and beat them into submission. But this goes for all of us.
You see we are all calling names, we are all doing things to provoke, we all are as guilty of sinning as the other we are pointing at. We need to be gentle with each other and bear the burdens of the other. We all think more highly of ourselves than we ought at times, and we need to see ourselves in the light of the other. We all have a long way to go and we need each other even when we do not see eye to eye.
We think we know what is spiritual because we have come up with the idea from our surroundings and our up bringing, and so what someone else is doing in the spirit may not seem spiritual to us, it may seem as if that brother or sister is sowing in the flesh and should be gently restored, when really they are working in the spirit…
We do not control the Holy Spirit and she flows where and how she will…
We need to bear each others burdens and work together through the spirit so that God’s mission is moved forward.
Daddy, be with all of us and help us to seek out your spirit, to not walk in our flesh, to look out for the other. Help us to bear each other and to lift each other to you in a spirit of gentleness so that we all might be restored, and in the relationship that you have for us with you and with each other…
aSacredRebel 