Late last year I heard a song I've heard numerous times, but that time the words really hit. Seven of them in particular! They were, "Break our hearts for what breaks yours." This became a prayer of mine, one I even elaborated on in my journal, but as time passed I'm sorry to admit my thoughts of it did as well.
Fast forward to the last ten days...my heart had been burdened and the weight I felt was heavy. It seemed my eyes had been opened to something that was wrong, to teaching that wasn't right. I had no direct connection to this person and tried telling myself that it really didn't matter...I could simply choose not to listen or read any of this person's material.
That sounded simple enough, but for some reason I couldn't let it go. I care about the people who look to this person for teaching and am concerned about those associated with one I question.
These thoughts went through my mind and I found myself asking a familiar question, "Who am I to judge?" These are words I've considered often...others are more educated, more experienced and better equipped to make this judgment. And the biggest reason to disqualify myself? I'm not perfect either!!
I even thought about what the Bible says, "Judge not or you to will be judged." (Matthew 7:7) As I thought about this another verse came to mind...one that is not as familiar and isn't quoted nearly as often - 1 Corinthians 5:12-13. Paul says, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
These are strong words and they had me thinking. Friend, the world tells us not to judge, but in His Word, God tells us there are times to judge. We are to "judge" our fellow brothers and sisters. If, better yet when, we see sin we are instructed to point it out. We must do this in Godly way and after we've prayed for wisdom and direction, but Christians are instructed to keep one another accountable.
As I found this situation weighing on me more and more I finally called out to God and asked, "Why?" In the wee hours of the night, He reminded me of the prayer I'd prayed months ago. A prayer I prayed, wrote down and honestly then forgot. I had asked Him to break my heart for what breaks His.
I believe that's what He's doing! And He has been using this situation to make me really think about what breaks His heart. I've been thinking about this, reading the Bible to study about it and have come up with one simple answer - SIN!!
Friend, sin breaks God's heart and it should break ours! As we think about this, let us remember another passage I've recently dug into - Matthew 7:3-5. These verses say, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
You and I must FIRST address the sin in our own lives before we confront another, but we can't let our sin disqualify us from helping someone else. Verse 5 tells us that. Removing the plank from our own eye is only the first step and by doing this we will see clearly to do what we need to do next - remove the speck from our brother's eye.
Friend, I encourage you to think about what breaks your heart. Is it what breaks God's?? Ask Him to help you examine your own heart. Are you in anyway breaking His? If so, deal with the sin. If not, don't turn your head or close your eyes to sin, but instead remember what God does. He responds to sin and saves us from it. By pointing out sin to a fellow believer you can remind them He is able (and willing) to do the same!!
Today, let us be thankful for the One who is a friend to sinners and may we follow His example and be a friend as well!! "Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours!!"
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