Have you ever watched those wildlife documentaries? I don’t really get into that, but I’ve seen some before. Maybe you have as well.
One of the most disturbing things I have seen on one of those documentaries is when one member of a group, a pride, just a crowd of these wild animals, they get injured, they get hurt, they fall. Well, sometimes you’ll see the others who are healthy turn on the injured one. And they literally begin to devour their own.
That’s a disturbing scene to think about, especially to see if you’ve ever seen it. But can I say, even more so than disturbing in that realm, that’s disturbing in the Christian realm. When you and I fall victim to being part of a crowd that looks to devour one who has found themselves fallen, broken, or hurting.
You know, the Bible tells us a just man falleth seven times. And it’s just a fact of the Christian life. I don’t want to bust your bubble. You’re not perfect, and I’m not perfect either. All of us sin, and we come short of the glory of God. And we are apt to stumbling along the Christian life, and even falling if we’re not careful.
But here’s the duty of the Christian. It is not to attack the fallen. It is not to mock the fallen. It is not to add more hurt to the fallen. But here’s what the Bible says in Galatians chapter 6. “If any man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
It’s amazing how much compassion we’ll show for the lost, and we go and try to win the lost. But where is the compassion and care for one who has been overtaken, the Bible says, in a fault? Well, if you’re a spiritual Christian, we seek for their restoration. We ought not take pride and find joy in the failure of one or another. No, we ought not do that. We ought to seek for the restoration.
I wonder how many Christians, God’s children, that are out there today sitting on the sideline, watching from the shadows. They’re not in this thing. They’re not even in a pew. But they could be, and maybe they would be, if a caring and compassionate Christian would undertake that one who’s been overtaken, and lift them up, and restore them, and disciple them, and train them, and lead them in that way of repentance and confession and getting that right.
And I want to challenge you today, let’s not be so quick to throw away those that God has saved. I’m glad God didn’t throw us out, and I’m glad he doesn’t disown his children. And you and I who are Christians ought to show compassion, and we ought to have that same care, and we ought to have that ministry of restoration. Thank God for evangelism, and thank God for the mission work that we do. But let’s not forget to care for the wounded on the battlefield as well. I hope this has been a help in your Christian life today.
Stay connected