When Your Brother Fails
Today’s devotional was written by my son, Clark Wrather, who is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. The Scripture and title have been added.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. – Galatians 6:1.
Last Sunday during my sermon, I noticed a couple of people while I was preaching. I had that itchy feeling between my shoulder blades and turned around to see my Music Director giving me a strange look. This happened a couple of times. I also noticed a woman in the congregation that was looking in my direction with an odd smile on her face as well. Anyway, these two people were noticeable.
After the sermon, the woman came directly to me and said she had something to tell me. She said that while she was in the choir behind me that she noticed the seat of my pants had a huge rip in them. Of course, I was quite surprised as I turned to put my back up against the wall.
She said that she had wanted to tell me while she was in the choir loft, before she went down to the sanctuary, but that she didn’t know what I could do about it. She said I was about to preach a sermon and there was no sense in me worrying about it while preaching. She was right, I’m glad she didn’t tell me before the sermon, but it is still quite embarrassing.
Sometimes God leads us to tell other Christians certain things. Maybe we have noticed something wrong in their lives or a sin they need to put behind them. When He leads us to do this, it is going to be very hard for us to tell them. I’m sure it was hard for that lady to tell me about my rip problem, but she did and I needed to hear it.
When God leads you to tell another Christian about something wrong in their life, do it, because they will need to hear it.
(Key words in Galatians 6:1: Spiritual (ie: your life is under control and not out of control), restore, and gentleness.)
(Sometimes it is our responsibility to confront others about the problems in their lives.)