Take Care of Others and Take Heed

Galatians 6:1-5 ESV
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. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

What is your first reaction to someone caught in sin? Read the first sentence in this passage again: “if ANYONE is caught in ANY transgression…” This does not say “the one who confesses” but if “anyone is caught”. It also includes “ANY” transgression. So consider my first question again, “what is your first reaction to someone caught in sin?”

Where is your cut-off point on which you will try to restore? The boy who shop-lifts? The girl who lies? The woman who gossips? The man who cheats on his wife? The friend who betrays you?

Then if we can get past that dilemma we still need to watch ourselves so we don’t fall into the same trap. I maintain that we cannot do this. We can’t do this in our own strength. But if we are learning to walk in the Spirit (yesterday’s devotional) we are better equipped to fulfill this first verse.

Then we are called to bear one another’s burdens. And while doing this we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. But, if we are walking in the Spirit we have a better chance of not getting big-headed, because we know that it is God using us to restore those He loves back to Himself.

What is the point I’m trying to make? Just that this portion of scripture tells me not to get so full of myself that I won’t reach out to brothers who have sinned and help them seek God to break that bond of sin. All the time watching myself, because I too am just one decision away from denying God.