RESTORE WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE (1)

RESTORE WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE PART ONE

If a man is overtaken in any trespass...

restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.

Brothers, if someone is caught in sin, youwho are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

Galatians 6:1 NIV

When somebody messes up, God says;" Restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness." But what if they've disgraced whemselves and provided fodder for the skeptics who already think all Christians are hypocrites?? Why bother with somebody like that?

First : Because the bible says," If a man is overtaken [ caught by surpirse] ... [consider] yourself lest you also be tempted." If it happened to you you'd want somebody to help you, right? And if you're thinking you would never embezzle money, have an affair, or slap a child in anger, think again. When you're under financial pressure, sleep deprived, lonely and depressed, or your marriage is on shaky ground, you might be surprised what you'd do. Paul says, " We are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so...self-confident..You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else" (1 Co 10:12 TM).

Second: Because Jesus is your example. While He had no time for Pharisees who hid their sins under a religious facade, not once did He condemn anybody who was 'overtaken' by temptation and failure. When they repented He forgave and restored them. Theologian Victor Shephers writes : "When we're face to face with someone's who's been surprised because trespass overtook them, do we deflect their shame back into their face, or do we own it as ours? Do we rub their nose in it or do we absorb it, put an arm around them and affirm our solidarity-in-sinnership?? Do we regard ourselves as superior, or do we say, "Take my hand... I know the way to the cross?'"