By: Juliet Constantine
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
Their hearts were filled with malice. So angry and hateful were they that murder was often seen as the best option. Like some religious groups of our day, they pretended to be doing God’s will. But Jesus broke up their ‘dolly-house’. He laid their intentions wide open for all to see, showing the correct interpretation of Scripture and the proper way to worship God. Reconciliation to each other was one of the most important steps in the process of being reconciled to God. You cannot be free until you make it right.
At the center of God’s love and His work for humanity is reconciliation. All that He had done and continues to do is with the sole purpose of reconciling us to Heaven’s fellowship. But for us, our Heaven has begun here on Earth. Here, fellowship with each other must be free from subtle malice and hatred. No wonder, Jesus included this topic in His lesson plan.
“If you remember,” noting that we sometimes choose to forget, “leave your gift and go make it right. Then come and offer your gift.”
Outside of this, your gift will be unacceptable. Notice that He did not say after Church, or another day, we should find the person and talk it over. He clearly said go, and come again after you’ve made it right-- after you have been reconciled to your brother.
Due to the differences in personality, frictions will often arise. But as children of God, we are to seek to resolve our conflicts in such a way that we still want to cling to each other when the ‘dust settles’. Malice keeping should not even be named among us. King David said malice keepers are liars, insincere and arrogant, and their throats are like open graves. (Psa. 5:9; 73:8). Many pretend that there is no malice when they will not even shake hands – a clear sign that the ‘dust was not settled’.
To these persons, King Solomon, concurring with his dad, said, “Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.” (Prov. 26:26) True reconciliation will restore friendly relations. We will not be free until we make it right!
Even though you may not be the offender, you should take steps to make it right. Leave your gift of prayer, thanksgiving, tithes and offerings and go make it right. Confess your faults and ask to be forgiven. My favorite Christian author puts it nicely when she said, “If we have in any manner defrauded or injured our brother, we should make restitution. If we have unwittingly borne false witness, if we have misstated his words, if we have injured his influence in any way, we should go to the ones with whom we have conversed about him, and take back all our injurious misstatements.” (TMB pg. 59)
Difficulties between brethren are to be frankly spoken of, in the spirit of Christian love, among themselves only. This will go a far way in removing the risk of misunderstanding and ill-feeling and will aid in reconciliation. “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.” (Titus 3:3) Let us “therefore, rid ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” (1 Peter 2:1). Let us make it right.
Thank You Holy Father for reminding us that You want us to be at peace with You and with each other. Thank You for being our supreme example – when we were Your enemies, You sent Jesus to die for us so that we can be reconciled to You. Please remove pride from our hearts, and give us a willing spirit to make it right with each other. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)
