Edification part 2
When you edify someone you build them up. You know, as opposed to tearing them down. You, as our key verse in Romans chapter 15 tells us, bear the infirmities of the weak. Don't sell people out... HELP people out. Because, at the end of the day, we're all in this together. The "us vs them" mentality doesn't get us anywhere. Just like how the blind leading the blind gets us all in a ditch. And I think a super important part of edification--again, building each other up--is found in Romans 8:1 (NLT), "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." My personal belief is that we ALL belong to Christ Jesus. God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son... to the WORLD. So before we split hairs and try to decide just who exactly deserves to not be condemned, let's remember Jesus' words in John 8:7, "...He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." And yes, I believe that those who are in Christ are without sin. Those born of God CANNOT sin. But that doesn't give us the right to start casting stones. That gives us the right to start casting mercy, and grace, and forgiveness, and love. Which is what the world needs. When you screw up, generally speaking, you know it. You don't need someone piling on and kicking you when you're down. What you need is for someone strong to bear your infirmities. What you need when you fall is for someone to reach down and help you out. And I'm telling you, it's a whole lot easier to build something (or someONE) correctly than it is to fix something (or someone) who is broken. Train up a child in the way he SHOULD go. Don't always tells people what's WRONG with them. The world does enough of that. Start telling people what's RIGHT with them. Put people in a position to succeed. I'm not trying to brag (well, maybe a little) but I have a smart kid. So I expect a lot out of him. But at the same time, I have a five year old child. So while I understand that there are lots of things he CAN do, I also understand that there are lots of things he CAN'T do. And lots of things he is still LEARNING how to do. So, like I said, put people in a position to succeed. And when they don't... cut them some slack. There is no condemnation. There is only edification. And here's the key to all of it: "...Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth" (1 Corinthians 8:1). We know when someone messes up. Because we know how things are "supposed to be." Or at least how WE think they're supposed to be. But in the face of real people making real mistakes... charity (love in action) edifyeth. When someone messes up and you DON'T kick them when they're down... when you show them a more excellent way... that's when you really have a chance to make a difference. Because we all mess up. Because we're all human. Things fall through the cracks sometimes. And the harder we try to grip things, the easier it is for things to slip through our fingers. We need help. We need each other. We need to LOVE each other. And edify each other. We DON'T need to condemn each other. Love doesn't condemn. Love edifies.