S235P6 – Intentional Christianity: looking out for one another

Col. 3:16-17

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

He was not self-conscious enough to notice the snickering when it began.  For many years, he had kept his struggles to himself and thought no one would catch on.  These days, however, it is not so easy to keep secrets.  Eventually, his lifestyle of regular transgressions would be discovered although this discovery was not disclosed to him. Instead, there were whispers whenever he was in the room and much louder gossip whenever he left.  Some would say that they were praying for change in his life, while others were content simply to see how it all played out. The sad thing is that no one dared approach him about his errors to teach him or correct him and pull him out of that darkness.

I have felt in the past the same lack of motivation to reach in and really effect change in a brother who is struggling. Sometimes, we convince ourselves that these things are just none of our business.  Other times, we expect the wayward son or daughter to ask for help.  Today’s passage, however, instructs us to teach and correct one another in wisdom.  It also tells us that the way we do this is by letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly.  This is another call for discernment and understanding among us. If we are to look out for our brothers and sisters in Christ and provide loving correction when needed, we first must understand what the correct path looks like. Then, we reach in and speak life into that situation, thanking God for the privilege to do so.

We are not called to be islands but to be members of the Church body. We are all parts of a whole, and each member should be concerned about the whole body.  This instruction to teach and admonish one another in wisdom is centered on our knowing the truth.  Only once we know the truth can we then distinguish that which is the lie and no good.  When we see the enemy of truth within the Church operating in our brothers and sisters or deceiving them, it is our duty to follow the word and pursue their correction.  This is not merely a call to prayer but a call to action and interaction.  Father, give us the wisdom to walk out this instruction correctly, that we would successfully bring one another out of deception and error and further into your truth.