11/21/09
Snag!
Snag! Caught with the spoon right in his mouth! By the look in his eyes, you can tell he took something he shouldn't have. The next thought is: What will he do next? Own up to it and promise not to do it again or try to wriggle out of what is coming to him? We all do things wrong from time to time and the measure of a person is what we do about it! If you have read the book of 1 Corinthians you know that one of the "Christians" there had been sleeping with his father's wife; whew, talk about Peyton place (to name just one TV show). The following passage shows what the one who committed this act and the congregation did about it.
2 Corinthians 7:8-11 WEB (R)
(8) For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.
(9) I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.
(10) For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.
(11) For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter.
Both the congregation and the one in error did the right thing; made the right choice. Paul did the right thing as well; he firmly, yet gently confronted the problem. There is a lesson here: Even the worst of situations can work out if handled properly and all those involved have the right attitude! And attitude lead to actions and they lead to eternal consequences. I hope whoever caught this youngster wasn't to hard on him... you just got to love those eyes!