How we deal with one another.

I have a few accountablity partners. Why? Because the Christian walk is not easy and going it alone is impossible. That's why God gave us the church.

Heb 10:24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

So we are to get together to encourage each other.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

We sharpen one another as we struggle together.

One of the men in my accountablity circle had issues with me. He wrote, "I am trying to figure out how to say these things without offending you. But we are brothers... so I am trusting the Spririt to translate and filter out my crap and keep the truth of it in..." (He was a bit more specific and it's not important to this blog.) He closes with this, "I just need someone that will be a little more listening, and encouraging..."

Ouch! But that is the beauty of two men agreeing to hold one another accountable. He had not only the RIGHT to say this, he had the OBLIGATION to say it.

Them that know me personally, know I am a talker. My wife jokes and tells me I could "have a 45 minute conversation with at rock". The Lord has also been working on the WAY I say things. It's getting better, but I'm not there yet. (See my Freedom in Christ blog from Monday and my comments on the fruit of the Spirit.)

This incident made me think. And pray. How are we to interact with our Christian brothers and sisters? Since the contect of mutual accountability was my thought pattern this is what came to me.

Galations 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness ; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

Sometimes we can real good at the correcting, but the restoring and the gentleness, we're not so good at. Remember the Holy Spirit works differently in eveyone. Each person growth will be at God's pace, not yours. Be gentle with them. Also don't think that you have arrived in any area. Except for the grace of God, any one of us is capable of ANY sin.

Galations 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

We're bear the burden together. The image that come to my mind is that of two oxen pulling a cart. They have to work together. If one pulls harder or not at all no progress is made.

Philipians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

It's easy to be prideful when someone comes to you for help. Remember that it's not about you. It's about them and God's glory.

Philipians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

Once again our standard is Christ. He is God yet He gave up everything. He did it humbly.

I hope the Lord has blessed you with His Word.