What kind of Watchman are you?
What kind of Watchman are you?
The night sky was lit up like the fourth of July. All around him were the sounds of gun shots and tanks, men screaming from being hit by the enemy’s fire. As Tim sits and stares out he noticed a movement in the bush in front of him. His heart begins to pound so loud that he is for sure the enemy in front of him could hear it. He crouches as low to the ground as possible hoping not to be seen. As he lays there waiting with his weapon ready to defend himself he hears this faint voice crying out for help from behind the bush. He noticed the words being spoken was from his own language. The question rose with in Tim “Do I go and help him or not, this could be a trap that I might not get out of my self” Tim turned to God in prayer for strength and protection; he knew he could not go and leave his fellow soldier lying defenseless and hurt. He had to go and get him and take him back to safety no mater the circumstance. As he stood up carefully, looking all around him for any danger, he carefully went and gathered the wounded soldier and threw him over his shoulder and carried him back to safety.
Of course this is a fiction story, but there are those that had to face these kinds of situations in their lives and still are facing it. I tell this story with a scripture verse in mind. How are we as Christians suppose to treat our fellow Christians that are wounded and caught in a sin? Galatians 6:1-3 (New International Version)
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
The word “caught” does not mean, “AHH HAA I caught you, therefore because of you committing a sin I will have nothing more to do with you UNTIL you are a good Christian as I am and stop your sinning” Yikes, God help us!!
I am assuming that we all have heard this saying, “Christians are to quick to bury their wounded” What if Tim would of went over to his fellow soldier and looked at him and said “Well look at the predicament you are in, if you would of done this or done that you wouldn’t be lying here like this.” Then he starts to throw dirt and bury the man alive.
The word “caught” means, someone who is in a trap, they are caught in that trap and can not get out with out someone’s help. We all were in that trap of sins until Jesus died on the cross. He is THE someone that helped us out by dyeing on the cross. We as Christians need to restore then “Gently with love” but be aware you are also someone that Satan wants.
Paul did teach that Christians should "live at peace with everyone" (Rom 12:18); but when anyone negated the core of the gospel, especially the significance of the cross, he did not hesitate to rebuke that person in love, Paul demonstrates true love for his Galatians friends by confronting them. True love cares enough to confront. “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses”. (Prov. 27:5-6) We know that this rebuke comes from a heart of love. Paul views his friends with affection as "brothers" and even as "dear children" for whom, he says, "I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you" (Galatians 4:19). His rebuke expresses strong, deep love. As a wise man, he knows that "the corrections of discipline are the way to life" (Prov. 6:23).
So in closing, it doesn’t mater what sin we find our fellow Christians in, don’t be quick to bury, God hasn’t so why should we. Go to them in love. I also leave this scripture as a challenge to all of us to watch out for others and remember “True love cares enough to confront not condemn”
Ezekiel 33:1-7
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. 5 Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’
7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
God bless….Carrie
