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Warn...those who are out of
line...encourage the timid...help...the weak.' Sadly, we'd rather stay quiet
and be popular than speak difficult truth into the lives of others.
One teacher writes: A church isn’t a
group of people who happen to meet in the same place every week; It is a
spiritual body... a loving family. It's far easier to comfort and encourage
than to warn or exhort, but both are necessary. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to
speak the truth in love so that the whole body may "grow up in all
things".
If we don't take the time to exhort,
encourage, warn, comfort, uphold and be patient...we [all] suffer in the end.
Your body doesn't function properly when one part is hurting or performing
poorly. And the church suffers when one of its members is unruly, fainthearted,
weak, or falls into bad doctrine. Letting a body part fester, or not supporting
a part that's hurt, can lead to irrecoverable damage...letting serious issues
go unaddressed does a grave disservice to the member in question.
As parents we love our children too
much to let bad behaviour go unchecked. Down the road we know it will
negatively affect their attitude toward authority, relationships,
accountability and personal discipline. We care enough to correct and guide
them. Paul says, 'If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving
your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before
the day's out' (Galatians 6:1 TM). The truth is the only safe ground to stand
upon, and your goal should be to speak it in love.
Words
from Oreva Ovuomaye.
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