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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