Saturday 26 May, 2018

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Talking to someone about their sin… Now there’s a politically incorrect thing to do!!

Not only is it considered wrong by our contemporary society to make comment about the way someone is living their life but didn’t Jesus teach me not to judge others?

The instruction here is not to be a sideline critic who throws insults or corrections from a distance. James is calling me to ‘walk’ with my brother or sister who is stuck in a sin, not walking on their path but showing them a better path to walk. It is a ministry of presence where I am called to be right there with them as they turn around, I am to be like a shepherd who brings back a lost sheep. I do this because others have saved me from my sinful wanderings.

Far from being a call to judge others, this is a call for me to love another so much that I would get close enough to guide and restore them to a path of life, no matter what sin needs to be confronted.

Lord, help me love like that!

Written by Andrew Mellor