Words from the Rock
If your enemy is taking you to court, become friends quickly, before you go to court. Otherwise, your enemy might turn you over to the judge, and the judge might give you to a guard to put you in jail. I tell you the truth, you will not leave there until you have paid everything you owe.
Matthew 5:25–26 NCV
Okay, you probably don’t have anyone who’s ready to haul you into court, but you never know. What Jesus is saying is that you need to own up to any past wrongs you may have done—back before you were trying to follow Jesus and live according to his rules. (Remember “love God, love your neighbors”?) In the same way you want a clean slate before you go to worship, you want to clear up any past offenses with others as well.
So at any given opportunity, you need to step up and own up. Look that person in the eye and say, “I was wrong, and I am sorry. Please forgive me.” And offer to do whatever is necessary to set things right. You just might catch that offended person so off guard that she will simply nod and say, “Okay, no hard feelings.”
Do you know why Jesus takes time to say these seemingly basic and obvious things? Because he knows you’re human. He knows that you’ve blown it and that you’ll blow it again. But he wants you to clean up your act, so you don’t walk around beneath a cloud of guilt and regret and so he can use you to help others. Pretty simple—as long as you cooperate.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Please forgive me for the times I’ve hurt others. And help me to find the opportunities to make things right. Give me the strength to own up to my messes, to apologize, and to come clean.
Amen.
Final Word
If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot.
James 5:16 CEV
Stone for the Journey
I will do all I can to restore messed-up relationships.