In the midst of this conversation about “rebuking a fellow believer who has sinned against you”, it occurs to me that there are five simple words I have discovered to make living out the Christian faith so much easier day to day: “Unless that makes you uncomfortable”.
I have found that if I mentally tack these five words onto the tail end of any biblical commandment, my mind is put at ease instantly.
Just look at how it “fixes” Luke 17:3: “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them … unless that makes you uncomfortable.”
Problem solved! And it works equally well with many of Jesus’ most difficult commands:
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men … unless that makes you uncomfortable.”
“If any man would come after me, let him take up his cross and follow … unless that makes you uncomfortable.”
“Love your neighbor as you love yourself … unless that makes you uncomfortable.”
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … unless that makes you uncomfortable.”
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit … unless that makes you uncomfortable.”
This works great … as long as I can keep myself convinced that God cares more about my comfort than about the Kingdom advancing.
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