Everyone Else Knows But Me
Matthew 18:15-18 Amplified Bible (AMP)
15If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.16But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.17If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.18Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be that is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.
Have you ever been in a situation where there was a problem and you didn’t even know that there was one, but mutual friends, family members and others knew that someone was upset and what the issues or problems seemed to be? Have you ever wondered why they never came and asked you, spoke with you or communicated their concerns, thoughts and hurts with you? This is not a strange dynamic to any of us I am sure, I believe we all have been here at one time or another. But I guess the sadness of these times and moments are not the being in the dark, but when we become aware that while we were in the dark about this situation that is was being discussed by others, partially involved or not involved at all or when a person blows up at us and we have no clue what is going on with them, and then we find out that they have been discussing these issues with everyone but you.
Why do we find ourselves talking to people that have no insight into the situation nor do they have anything to do with how we are feeling, what we perceive we are seeing or understanding a situation to be? It is because we want someone to commiserate with us; we want people to feel that we are right. When want to attempt to build a case, so that no matter what truth is what we have already formulated in our mind will not and cannot be changed. But this is not what God’s word commands us to do. God asks us to go to the person, and discuss it with them. By going to them, without outside influences and preconceived notions and thoughts, we can hear the truth of the situation and God can intervene to heal many situations that otherwise left to fester would not be healed or would be more difficult to reconcile or heal. Nowhere in this scripture does it say that we are supposed to bring the opinions of others and or a deaf ear and a made up mind, nor does it say we are to initially to approach things in a public forum, it says private that means it is between, you that person and God. So then if reconciliation takes place we don’t have other people involved and feeling one way or another about that person. If the person does not hear you, then is when we bring a witness.
There is a process and a way that we need to handle ought, wrong doings and offense with others. When we employ our own tactics instead of what God has required of us, we can fully expect to receive the results of our actions and the confusion and further stresses that come as a result. We want God in the midst of our lives but we don’t follow His requirements, suggestions and request. We cannot hope to solve an issue when we take matters into our own hands doing it our way, by adding more confusion and issues into the mix. In many cases it can be a situation where we are misunderstanding a situation or we have judged a situation, statements made or actions taken the wrong way, because we are all different and we all see things differently. Let God lead our actions, our thoughts, our words and the way we handle conflict. Many of us need to pray more and talk a whole lot less, and follow what God has given us as a guide to resolve conflict and see how different things can become not just in this area of our lives but many others!
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