Reconciliation

23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to that person; then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:23-24


What a great week it has been in the Livigni household for reconciliation. Paula has reached out and spoken to a family member that she has not spoken to in several years; you can’t imagine how proud I am of her. In addition, last evening I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with an old friend who is a brother in Christ that I used to be very close to but have drifted apart from in the past years for whatever reason. It is very encouraging for me this morning to read about how much Jesus is concerned about our relationships with each other. God wants nothing to do with your offerings to him until you are reconciled with that person in your life by whom you have been hurt or the one you have hurt, that person with whom you have some sort of disagreement no matter how small. In the realm of Christianity, God’s amazing love and power is acted out in the relationships that you have with other people and that is why they are so important and why God holds them in such high esteem. See, you are the medium through which God has chosen to reflect His love onto this fallen world and it is through God’s Spirit working in and through your life that other people will see and know that He is God as you relate to them in a way that is much different from the world around you. You might not be able to change how the world views Jesus and Christianity; however, you can change how your neighbor or friend or family member or colleague views Christ as you reflect His unconditional love to them today. Draw near to Jesus today as you reconcile with others and live your life for the King!

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