Gandhi’s Rebuke

“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.”

Galatians 6:1-3

A passage we just looked into a few weeks ago for my sermon entitled “Together in Serving” which you can find here.

As Paul addressed the difference between being in the law and the freedom we have in Christ, he now addresses basic Christian living and how we ought to treat one another in the church. He calls upon those that are more spiritual to lift up and restore those that are weaker in the faith or perhaps even spiritually fallen. However we must also be sober and alert as we do so because we may fall into that same temptation. Basically no one is above sin and therefore we must not only try and restore others but we need to balance that with our spiritual life so that we do not burn out as well. We must carry each other’s burden and do good to all especially those that are in the family of believers because this fulfills the law of Christ which is to love thy neighbor. No one is above one another, if they think that they are deceiving themselves. We reap what we sow, therefore if we’re sowing to indulge the flesh, we will reap destruction from the flesh. We must not be weary in doing good and remaining in obedience to the Lord because in due time we will reap the harvest.

Luz Long and Jesse Owens were both competitors in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and their friendship became a symbol of sportsmanship and mutual respect. Many nations and athletes protested the Olympics held in Germany because of the Third Reich’s racial and prejudice laws enacted in Nazi Germany. Luz Long was a German long jumper and Jesse Owens was an African-American athlete. Owens would face discrimination not only in the United States but as he traveled to Europe. However during the long jump event, Long gave Owens solid and crucial advice for his qualifying jumps, to adjust his starting point. Owens followed the advice and qualified for the long jumps then won the gold medal whereas Long earned the silver medal. There is a famous picture where Owens is standing to receive the gold medal and Long is in the 2nd Place stand making a Nazi salute with the silver medal. Long and Owens remained friends until Long was killed in the Second World War. Owens commented that it took courage for Long to purposefully display friendship with an African-American whilst his nation was racially discriminating those that were not of the Aryan race. These two athletes recognized that the Olympics is what brought all the nations, cultures, and ethnicities together under the category of sports. 

We’re not in a competition with one another. We’re under the banner of the cross and we’re in this together despite the differences that we may have with one another. There will be struggles that many of us face and instead of judging we just reach out and gently restore. I think it is too common in many churches that Christians tend to judge someone that is perhaps not doing well spiritually or has fallen into sin. Most of the reasons as to why someone leaves church is because of Christians themselves. 

It is said that Mahatma Gahndi was once quoted saying “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” 

Jesus is the one that forgive and restored the sick, the blind, the weak, the poor, and the sinners. He did not condone sin but He gently restored and saved them from their sin. Why is that too many Christians are so judgmental and unwilling to help a fellow brother or sister? Instead we immediately write them off, more concerned about our personal needs or reputation. We must carry each other’s burdens as Christ carries our burdens. 

Of course it is not easy to do good to all especially those in the church. It wasn’t easy for Long to be kind and good to someone his nation looks down upon yet he chose to do so. Their friendship lasted after the Olympics and it became a courageous example expressing love despite the differences. 

We must continue to do good to all especially those in the church. Let us not compare ourselves to them nor think highly or above them. Let us humble ourselves and seek to gently restore our fallen brethren and carry one another’s burden. This is what Christ did and through our love, people will know that we are indeed disciples of Jesus.

““Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”

Proverbs 30:7-8

Even when we are weary, we know that in God we can always prevail. We must trust and rely on God’s gracious hand to help us to overcome any trial or difficulties. The Word of God is perfect and flawless, it is the shield to any who seek after it and will provide refuge to those that find it. 

In this passage, the writer ask two things of God which is to keep sin and falsehood away from him and then to give him his daily bread. We should ask the Lord of the same, to keep us away from the temptation of sin and to give us our daily bread in the Word of God.