Do you have children? If not, I’m sure you’ve been around them enough to know they don’t mince words. They are pretty black and white in the way they see the world and “they call them like they see them” as the saying goes.
When we moved to Georgia, my children were one and three. We put new carpet down in the house, so we told Sam and Laura all drinks had to stay in the kitchen in an attempt to keep the carpet clean. After we got settled, my mom came for a visit. On the first morning, Mom came downstairs, got a cup of coffee, and proceeded to walk through the downstairs looking around the house. Sam was trotting along behind her and declared, “Grandma, we got rules!” He was appalled she would walk on the new carpet with her coffee. Did she not know the house rules? Needless to say, after waves of laughter, Grandma turned around and took her coffee back to the kitchen.
While Sam’s attempt was to get her to follow the rules, his delivery needed a little work. God’s Word clearly lays out how we’re to live. When we see a believer doing something wrong, we are to go to them privately and confront them in love [Matthew 18:15]. We don’t do this to point out his/her failures. We go to them, in love, to keep them from sinning, thus separating themselves from God. Our motives need to be pure or else we’ll be the one who needs to be pulled aside. Matthew 18:16-20 goes on to tell us how to handle things if the person doesn’t receive our correction as intended.
God’s Word will guide our steps and direct our path in all situations, if we will simply follow it [2 Timothy 3:16]. James 1:22 points out we’re not just supposed to listen to the Word, but we’re supposed to actually do what it says. Imagine that? God’s Word is the user’s guide for His creation. Who knew? Hopefully, we all do, because following it will lead us to the abundant life He promises us in John 10:10.
Is someone you know and love stepping outside of the boundaries God placed? If so, God’s Word is there to guide you every step of the way.