Scripture

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

Observation

While the Law says we must not commit murder for fear of the judgement of God, Jesus says anyone who gets angry with a brother or calls them an idiot is already in danger of judgement.

Even if we are making an offering to the Lord, we must go and be reconciled to a brother who is offended by us.

If a man lusts after a woman, he has already committed adultery in his heart. Any part of our body that leads us to sin should be removed. It is better to lose a part of the body than for the whole body to be cast into hell.

Application

Jesus takes the Law and amplifies it to the nth degree. He looks at the heart and its motives, not just the outward appearance. Therefore lust is adultery and anger is murder. We need to get our heart right and not just the outward actions.

Jesus tells us that relationships are more important than religion. Even if I am in the middle of a church service and then remember that I have an issue with a christian brother, I need to fix that issue immediately.

It is not just about when I take offence. That just needs a bit of repentance and a heart adjustment. I am also responsible for sorting out issues that other people have with me: “ If you remember that your brother has something against you…”

I cannot deflect responsibility for a relationship on to the other person. If a brother or sister in the Lord is offended by me, I need to take the initiative to clear the air and restore the friendship.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you lay on all of your followers the responsibility for making relationships right whether by forgiveness or by seeking reconciliation. Please show me any relationships I need to work on. Amen.