November 20, 2023
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
-1 Peter 4:8
Whenever there is a motorcycle accident in our area, a friend of mine always posts a “Buddy Check” on social media, just to see if everyone he knows is safe. This isn’t just a superficial thing to him, he genuinely is concerned for the well-being of his friends and acquaintances, as well as the rider, whether they are known, or unknown, to him. In all my years, I don’t know of another community, such as the motorcycle community, that does this…checks up on each other and rallies around each other when things get tough.
We, as Christians, should be quick to do a “buddy check” when we know that a brother or sister is struggling. No matter the situation, maybe they are wrestling with a sin that is tormenting them, maybe they are just going through a difficult time, or they may just need someone to be there to uplift and encourage them. A “buddy check” is precisely what turned things around for me. I had hit a very rough spot in my life, as far as things go personally and within my ministry. I was reeling from church hurt, a renewed fervor of the force of sin trying to bring me down, and it all began when I heeded God’s calling to follow Him more intentionally and embark into the unknown of this ministry that He was calling me to. A dear brother knew of this struggle and he reached out to me, from time to time, to counsel me, to encourage me, and to pray with me. That love and support straightened my path and refocused my life on where I needed to be going, instead of the wandering, dangerous path I was on. There have been times, since that period, where I have done my own “buddy check” on a brother or sister who just needed that reassurance and that loving guidance.
In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he writes:
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
-Galatians 6:1,2
We are called to support and encourage one another, Paul, here, is writing about the original “buddy check” that Christ tells of in the gospel of Matthew:
“‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”
-Matthew 18:15
Jesus provides us with guidance on how we are to approach this situation. We don’t begin by broadcasting the struggles of our brother or sister, we are told to approach them alone and speak to them, from a place of love and genuine Christian fellowship. We counsel them and help them, but we do not come to them with anger and vindictiveness in our hearts. If that simple, private, conversation does the trick then you have restored that person to a right standing and the bond you share has also been strengthened beyond anything it was prior to that moment. That is what I experienced when my friend, Randy, sat down with me and gave me wise counsel, patience, and prayer. Everything he said or did, during that time, was because he loved me and did not want to see me overwhelmed by the struggles that were knocking at my door. So what if that doesn’t work? Well, wouldn’t you know it, Jesus provides us with the next step:
“But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”
-Matthew 18:16
Now we are told to bring a few others with us, again, out of a place of love and a shared desire for restoration. This is not to put a fellow brother or sister down, this whole process is to bring them back, to help them overcome. But through it all we must guard ourselves as well, remember Paul’s words in our verse from Galatians, he said that we should keep watch over ourselves, protect ourselves, so that we don’t also fall into temptation. Sin is a disease and it will spread like fire, if given the chance, and there comes a point where we must remove ourselves from the situation and maybe approach things in a more indirect manner. Finally, Jesus tells us that if this second step doesn’t work then we are to go to the church, the body of believers:
“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
-Matthew 18:17
This is the last step, we bring this before the collective body of believers, that doesn’t equate to gossiping about the situation with everyone we know, rather it is the extreme point of the practice of restoration to get the lost brother or sister to ultimately repent of this pervasive sin in their lives and then to help guide them back home. Sadly, there will be those who are still unrepentant and Christ says we are to then treat them like a “Gentile and a tax collector.” That is to say that we treat them as if they are not a Christian at all. This is the most extreme of all possible outcomes and it is not to be taken lightly, there should be much prayer and humility involved in this process, but ultimately we are looking to protect everyone involved. This does not mean we stop loving this person, but we can prayerfully seek intercession from the only One who can do anything about this situation.
It is not easy, but we do all of this out of a place of love and a devotion to see the Kingdom grow. Maybe you know of a brother or sister who is having a difficult time, perhaps now is a good time to do a “buddy check,” restore them, strengthen your own fellowship and continue the work that God has begun in you. God is faithful.
“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
-James 5:19,20
