Scripture

Make allowances for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.

Observation

Because we belong to God we must clothe ourselves with qualities like humility, kindness and patience. We must make allowances for each other’s faults and forgive those who offend us.

Above all, we must close ourselves with God’s perfect love.

Wives must submit to their husbands, and husbands must love their wives. Children must obey their parents, and fathers must not aggravate their children.

Slaves should obey their earthly masters in everything. They are to please them all the time and not just when the master is looking, as if they are working for Christ. Masters must be fair to their slaves, for they themselves have a master in heaven.

Application

The hard part of being in community is that every single christian is different. We all have different gifts, interests, and levels of spiritual maturity.

The command to love my brother and sister in the Lord means that I must not judge them or take offence at them. I must recognise that I, even I, have faults, so I must not be too hard on a brother or sister whose faults annoy me.

Paul tells us to forgive everyone who offends us. If we decide to forgive people even before they offend us, if forgiveness becomes a preemptive policy, then we become unoffendable.

In this way, the church family becomes a holy and loving community of faith.

Prayer

Lord, please make me more accepting of my Christian brothers and sisters, Help me to be truly unoffendable. Amen.