Galatians 6:1-5

                                             bearing a burden

                How do you react when someone else is “overtaken in a trespass” –physically, emotionally, or spiritually going where they should not?  Is there any way to deal with it and still maintain of peace? 

It seems to me there are at least three major lines of response, each with their fruit:

Pray about it                   Obsess over it                  Be apathetic

Submit to God’s wisdom         figure and reason it out              why waste brain waves?

                        ^                                                  ^                                                                ^

humility, empathy                      judgment, criticism                       detachment

compassion, forgiveness                       pride

            ^                                                          ^                                                                 ^

acceptance, grace                      frustration, anger                        disunity

         Service                                    control

            ^                                                           ^                                                                 ^

draws near, builds                      pushes away, strains &                    antithesis

relationship & unity                          breaks relationship                         of love

                ^                                                           ^                                                                  ^

About Christ                      About You                            About You

& in Christ                      in your own strength               in your own desires

                ^                                                           ^                                                                  ^

Peace in the trial                              NO PEACE in the trial                  NO PEACE in the trial

                        When you are concerned about a brother or sister in Christ, evaluate your actual goal.  Is it to make the person in your image or is your goal to be a vessel for Christ, inviting them into (or back into) the unique, gracious relationship God desires?  If it is the latter, you are yoked with Christ who shares His strength with you.

                As a parent, or one in authority, it is not that a lackadaisical approach is called for—there are still standards and guidelines for those under authority.  But the attitude still meets this fork in the road.  The question is, will the guidelines or rules be enforced in a spirit of Christ, displaying the spiritual man, the new creation, both having and offering peace?  Or will the attitude of the enforcer display the natural man, “self”?

                For those of you under authority, what should you do when one who has authority over you is in sin?  Are the pathway possibilities any different?  If yes, how?

                Think of a person in your life who may be “caught in sin”.  How are you responding?  What steps can/should you take to ensure that you do not sacrifice your peace with God, nor your own integrity, over this situation.

Read and Pray:  Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 12:3-21