So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Matthew 5:23-24
I once heard someone teach about the importance of offering a full apology. This person teaching expressed the value of not simply saying a half-hearted “sorry,” but saying the complete sentence, “I am sorry,” purposefully and intentionally. When an apology is required in the middle of conflict, it can be tempting to utter the words “sorry” without actually meaning it. While it can be tempting to offer a half-hearted apology, Scripture teaches the importance of acknowledging when we are wrong and confessing our mistakes. Although it sounds like a simple act, acknowledging when we are wrong and offering an apology when necessary will help build strong, healthy relationships.
Jesus taught about the importance of reconciling with the people around us in Matthew 5. In this chapter, He said to listeners, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God” (verses 23-24). This teaching must have shocked readers because, for them, nothing would have caused them to get up and leave in the middle of sacrificing to God. Yet, this is exactly what Jesus told them to do. If they were in conflict with someone, God cared so deeply about reconciliation that they were to wait to sacrifice to God until they had reconciled with that person. The same is true today. God cares about our relationships and that they are restored if there is conflict. If we are in conflict with someone, we must ask for forgiveness and work toward repairing that relationship if we have hurt them. The relationship may need particular boundaries, and it may look different, but there is always room to apologize.
This call to seek restoration and apologize, admitting when we have messed up, applies to all relationships in our lives, including spouses, family members, friends, and acquaintances. We have to be people willing to admit when we are wrong and say, “I’m sorry.” After all, God cares deeply about our relationships and that they have been restored.
Is there something right now that you know you need to apologize for in the middle of your conflict? If so, go to that person today, acknowledge where you were wrong, and say the words, “I am sorry.” Then, commit to taking those necessary steps toward restoration today.
Matthew 5:21-26 (NLT)
“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
“When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
