John Kennedy, Jr. died in a plane crash at which time he was piloting. He died because he did not have his instrument rating. That means that he had not learned to fly by watching the instrument panel on the dashboard of his plane. When one doesn’t have that knowledge,  they basically  fly by eyesight, what they can see. However, if such a person finds himself in a thick cloud, as John Kennedy did, such one can experience vertigo, which means one becomes disoriented and loses all sense of equilibrium. Up can seem like down and down can seem like up, which is basically what happened to Kennedy, causing him to fly his plane right into the Atlantic Ocean.

There are many believers who “fly”  the Christian life in the same manner, by what they can see and feel. God says that is a problem.   As Christians, our instrument panel is the Word of God.  We must learn to trust our instrument panel more than we trust our feelings or what we can see. We must live by faith in God and His Word.

In our passage at the top, the Apostle Paul, speaking to Timothy, speaks of Timothy being “convinced” of the things he was taught. It is one thing to hear the truths of God’s Word, another to become convinced that the truths of the Word of God are the absolutely only guide for life. The word  for “convinced” is only used here in all of the New Testament. It means to confirm, assure, establish or be trustworthy. Equally important is that the verb gives the idea that Timothy, at one point, had come to a state of being convinced in the trustworthiness of God’s truth. 

 Paul, who knew well of Timothy’s propensity for timidity, was reminding him of that fact. Anyone who has taken the Word of God seriously probably has had a moment when he has come to a crisis and has had a choice as to whether he will lean on the Word of God or his own instinct or feelings.There are times when every feeling inside of us tells us to run or fight or fold like a house of cards.

 We, in this day where the giant of Covid-19 looms tall and ominous, must be reminded that reality is only found in the divine instrument panel of God’s truth. We must not cave into the anxieties and fears of our day.  We must resist the inclination to live by our emotions and senses. Equally, we need to make a beeline to the Word of God, seeking comfort and confidence in a sovereign God who rules over all. If we have not arrived at that place of being convinced (and confident) of the trustworthiness of God’s truth found in His promises, we must spend more time building that confidence. If we have had that moment of confidence in the past but now struggle with divided feelings and loyalties, let’s repent and run to the arms of God.

Most of all, do not let the size of the giant in your life determine the size of your God.

The law (precepts) of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. -Psalm 19:7

During this time of the pandemic, many people are afforded more down time than they normally have. My question and encouragement to each of us is, are we taking advantage of this time by turning some of it into solitude with God? Henri Nouwen called solitude…”the furnace of transformation.”

We live in such a “fast-food” instant society that can only stop for a minuscule moment and then keep going. The solitude I am talking about is not a 3 minute pit-stop. It is like a cool breeze on the back of the neck during a hot summer day. Inner stillness is an absolute necessity to truly knowing God. Psalm 46:10 states, “Be still and know that I am God.” Nouwen also said, “A life without a quiet center, easily becomes destructive.” A. W. Tozer wisely said, “I know that people do not want to be alone with God, but if your longing heart is to ever find the living water, it will be alone.”

A couple of weeks ago another megachurch pastor announced his resignation. He spoke about the fact that for the last 14 years he has been focused on building a church community where everyone’s welcome. Then, he said “in the meantime, I haven’t prioritized some things that were equally as important. Leaders who lead on empty don’t lead well. For some time, I’ve been leading on empty.”

He went on to say, “We’ve said that this is a church where it’s okay to not be okay, and I’m not okay. I’m tired. And I’m broken and I just need some rest.” “Leading on empty” seems to infer that he never learned the spiritual discipline of alone-time with God. The “tyranny of the urgent” had pushed out God. This is something all Christian leaders battle, but we must not allow that to happen.   I love the quote from Vance Havner when he said, “if you do not come a part, you will come apart.” Some Christian’s spiritual lives, perhaps like this pastor, are so barren as a result of their busyness, that they could spit dust.

In solitude with God we are able to identify the “clutter” of wrong-thinking and misguided priorities. In this transforming furnace, we are able to hear God speak to us in that “still small voice.” The great Divine Cardiologist is able to remove our fear and anxiety, replacing them with peace and joy.

Charles Swindoll stated it well: “In solitude, struggles occur that no one else knows about. Inner battles are fought here that seldom become fodder for sermons or illustrations for books. God, who probes our deepest thoughts during protracted segments of solitude, opens our eyes to things that need attention. It is here He makes us aware of those things we try to hide from others.”

Let me encourage you. God’s desire is to meet with you. He loves our alone-time with Him. And He loves to speak to us. So find that place in your house or yard to “do business with God.” You may ask, what do I say to Him? For starters, ask him, “God, what are you saying to me through this crisis?” I believe He has something for all of us to learn.

And Moses said unto the people, “Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you today.”

I have said many times that one of the most effective attacks that Satan, our adversary, has inflicted upon our world and society has been that of the abusive or absent father. You might ask, why is that so effective? It is effective because inside every one of us is a mental picture of God. Christian counselors and Christian psychologists have proven that the image we have of God is most often determined by the image we have of our own fathers. Satan, who is no fool…well, at least concerning this truth, knows that the best way to distort the image of God in the hearts of human beings is by distorting the image of what a good father looks like.

Dr. David Seamands in the his book entitled, Healing Of Memories, writes, “It is surprising the number of genuine Christians who are caught in an inner conflict between what they think about God and what they feel about God (and how He feels toward them). Their head theology is excellent, but their gut-level knee-ology (what they feel when they pray) is terrible.” He goes on to point out that the reasons many experience this distortion of God in their mind is because they did not have a good and compassionate earthly father.

The passage above clearly points out that God is a father who is tender and compassionate. He has eyes of mercy and grace. He watches over us with great concern and empathy caring only for what is best for us. When we are broken, hurt or downtrodden, He stands before us not with folded arms, but open arms, inviting us into His embrace. When we feel defeated, He lifts us up and carries us. No story better illustrates our heavenly Father’s love than the following one.

In the Summer Olympics of 1992, Derek Redmond was the favorite in the 400 meters. He had trained all his life for this race. He had the world record time in the event, and he had won all his earlier heats, but he had never won the gold medal. In the final race, he shot out of the starting blocks in an unbelievable start, and was on a world record time as he rounded the last turn. But suddenly, he went down in a heap on the track. He had torn his Achilles tendon.   The crowd gasped, stunned by what had happened. Slowly Derek rose to his feet and began to hop on one leg to the finish line experiencing agonizing pain with each hop. Suddenly, an older man made his way out of the stands. He pushed past the security guards who tried to stop him, and ran to Derek’s side. It was his father. He put his arm around Derek and said, “You don’t have to do this.” But Derek said,”Yes, I have to.” “Then we’ll finish together,” said the father. In an unforgettable scene, these two men, father and son, walked to the finish line together. Derek Redmond never did get that gold medal, but he has the memory of his father who shared his pain and finished the race with him.

If you did not have a father like that, know that you have a heavenly Father who loves you and who will lift you up when you are downtrodden. He will walk with you to the finish line. Perhaps life has been hard on you. Maybe you feel defeated. Maybe you feel there is no way back, you can’t recover. Know that your heavenly Father hasn’t forgotten you. Despite all that has happened in the past, He wants to accompany you on this race called “life.”

Equally, during this time of stress, uncertainty, and anxiety, I believe that God the Father would say to us, “Lean in to me. Let me support you and strengthen you through your own personal fears and anxiety during this difficult time.”

—Psalm 91:1-7 NASB

Last night, right before I went to bed, my mind was drawn to Psalm 91. Frankly, I had forgotten about the part that speaks of “the pestilence” in this chapter. The original Hebrew word is Dever and it means a destructive plague. As I read, I thought, how applicable to our times. Our country has not seen anything like this since 1918 and of course, that was a totally different time. Sadly, many today are absolutely paralyzed by fear.

In a time when the Coronavirus can intimidate like a giant, we, as believers, must put our focus on God and His faithfulness to us. Many people today act as if they have a post-graduate degree from the “University of Anxiety.” This should not be for the believer. Yes, it is human and natural to be struck with a moment of fear. However, a refocus on God’s Word and His promises, such as Psalm 91, should delivers us to the shore of peace and comfort.

The Psalmist’s mind (David) probably hearkens back to II Samuel 24 in which God brought a deadly pestilence killing 70,000 people and yet, even in that moment David knew that God was the sovereign one who controlled even the deadly pestilence.

The Psalmist here expresses the great confidence he has in the security that comes from dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty (i.e. walking close with God in faith). Just like a bird takes refuge under the wings of its parents, the believer who lives under the cover of God’s grace finds safety. In fact, in verse 5, it states that God covers His own with His faithfulness. That is an interesting word picture.

Let’s keep it real. Our biggest fear is that of death. However, divine viewpoint would take us back to Psalm 139 in which we are assured as we read “the days that were ordained for me.” What does that mean to each of us? It means that every heartbeat we have and every breath we take are ordained by God. It means that we are not going to leave this earth until He says it is over. For the believer, God still writes the last chapter…not Coronavirus or anything else. Does that mean that we can be careless? No, we all should take all the precautions that we are instructed to do during this time. Some more than others. However, we should not be marginalized by fear. When Joshua was momentarily tempted to fear, God spoke to him and said, Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

For the believer, this is a wonderful time to grow in our faith and to demonstrate our faith to others. Yesterday in our church’s prayer email, I shared the words of Martin Luther, the champion of the Reformation back in the 1500s. Luther was dealing with The Black Death plague when he wrote these words. They are as applicable today as they were then. Since not all who receive this email receives our prayer list, allow me to share it again.

“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

Here is what Mark Sasscer, our Missions Council chairman, wrote after reading this quote.

“Besides the big 5, we who are God’s bride have an ideal opportunity to serve our communities during this time of difficulty…like Martin Luther talked about in his quote. We must be prepared in our own homes to survive, but we must not hoard; instead we must be generous to those in need of what we might have. We must protect ourselves and our family members, but we must make ourselves available to serve those in need, even when risk is involved. These are times like we have never seen in our lifetimes, so many of our paradigms will suffer. However, our faith and convictions must not suffer.”

It is amazing that when we become a Christian, the first months and years are filled with thanksgiving and gratitude. Equally, it seems that the gratitude we had the first year, like the morning tide, recedes each year proportionally from that first year of gratefulness and appreciation. When it comes to gratitude, for many believers, it is a life of low tide rather than a life of high tide.

There is a mechanism in each of us that causes us to seek contentment and completeness in things we have… or better yet, that which we don’t have. Because of this mechanism, better known as the old nature, we can be so caught up in what we do not have that our imaginations become paralyzed. In short, we are unable to see beyond the small picture of the present.

The children of Israel provide us with a good example of a thankless heart. Remember they were delivered time and again by God but it did not seem to soften their stone hearts. They were ardent complainers. An incessant complainer is defective in so many ways. He is short-sighted. Like the Israelites, such a one easily forgets all the good things God has done. A complainer is one who harbors unbelief, as he finds trusting God’s faithfulness extremely difficult.

A life of thanksgiving, on the other hand, is the one God expects. Jesus, before raising Lazarus from the grave, first thanked God. After he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, He thanked God. He lived a life of thanksgiving. One who lives such a life believes that all things, good or bad, work for his enrichment and good. He believes God is absolutely in control of his life and circumstances. He has faith and hope in God. Such hope and faith encourage him to work relentlessly for God.

William Law, a priest of the Church of England, during the 17th and 18th century stated:

“If anyone could tell you the shortest, sweetest way to all happiness and perfection, he must tell you… to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seeming calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing.”

The Apostle Paul said, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” (I Thessalonians 5:18)

This season is a season where our discontent pounces upon us like rain in a thunderstorm. As believers, let’s resist the deep urges to look at our circumstances from a worldly viewpoint. Let’s remember that we are complete IN CHRIST. As Peter put it so well, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”(2 Peter 1:3)

-James 3:17

[This is the fifth of a series of articles on the subject of handling difficult relationships from God’s viewpoint.]

Thus far, we have seen that grace in the face of difficult relationships begins with a pure motive, seeking to reconcile, not win, or control. The second word on this roadmap is “peaceable.” As I view this, I think this speaks of one who is not abrasive, judgmental, harsh or vindictive when seeking to resolve a conflict. That person truly comes in peace, seeking to understand rather than to win an argument. The third word that is mentioned in this James passage is that of being “gentle,” meaning one who has the capacity and strength to come back strong, but whose godly heart yields to the Spirit’s power, resisting the urge to get even or “set one straight.” The fourth word is “reasonable” which refers to a person who is conciliatory, flexible, and willing to change when good reason is given for that change. They are not stubborn, unbending, and on the defense.

The next characteristic of one who demonstrates grace in the face of difficult relationships is “full of mercy and good fruits.” This is a double characteristic. The one who is characterized by the true wisdom, the wisdom of God, is full of mercy, resulting in good fruits. This really means a concern for people who suffer, manifested not only in forgiving people who have wronged you, but in reaching out to people with compassion who are in suffering. When people are characterized as merciful, demonstrating kindness and compassion, they demonstrate a Beatitude attitude:”Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” -Matthew 5:7.

Full of mercy seems to be giving others the benefit of the doubt as we treat them with kindness and compassion. Instead of jumping to false assumptions or writing people off with a premature judgment, we extend grace and kindness. We give them what we may think they don’t deserve.

A little boy one day came to his mother and said, “Mama, please make me a peanut butter sandwich.” The mother gave him a peanut butter sandwich, but then he looked at it and smile. He said,”Mama, I asked you for a peanut butter sandwich and you put jelly on it too!” That is mercy. Mercy is when God not only gives you what you ask for, but because of His kindness and compassion He adds a little more than you deserve.

It is my view, the one who is full of mercy is one who graciously gives that difficult person what they do not deserve….forgiveness, kindness and compassion.

Such behavior shows the fruit (evidence) of the Holy Spirit in their lives. As John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.) said, “Mercy imitates God and disappoints Satan.”

-James 3:17

[This is the fourth of a series of articles on the subject of handling difficult relationships from God’s viewpoint.]

The Lone Ranger creed was once as familiar to boys in America as the Boy Scout oath. Written by Fran Striker, it was the kind of creed that felt good. The creed stated: “I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one.” Being a friend is not always an easy task. Handling relationships that are difficult is even a more delicate process. As we have been seeing in this series of Shepherd’s Staffs, James 3:17 gives us a godly equation for handling any difficult relationship. In fact, it also serves as barometer to measure our own spirituality.

Thus far, we have seen that grace in the face of difficult relationships begins with a pure motive, seeking to reconcile, not win, or control. The second word on this roadmap is “peaceable.” As I view this, I think this speaks of one who is not abrasive, judgmental, harsh or vindictive when seeking to resolve a conflict. That person truly comes in peace, seeking to understand rather than to win an argument. The third word that is mentioned in this James passage is that of “gentle,” meaning one who has the capacity and strength to come back strong, but whose godly heart yields to the Spirit’s power, resisting the urge to get even or “set one straight.”

The next on the list is that of “reasonable.” The Greek word translated “reasonable” appears only here in the New Testament. It comes from two Greek words, “well” and “persuadable.” Together they mean”easily persuaded.” But don’t get the wrong idea. This doesn’t mean a wise person or one filled by the Holy Spirit is a naive pushover! It has more of the sense of being “teachable.” It speaks of someone who can put aside stubbornness and readily yield to the truth. It can refer to a person who is conciliatory, flexible, and willing to change when good reason is given for that change. In my view, the intimation of this word is that when the Spirit of God captures the heart and does His work deep within, He softens us.

A good example of this is found in the case of David and Abigail. (I Samuel 25:32, 33) David and his men had protected all the possessions and land of Abigail’s husband Nabal. But when payday came, he refused to pay them. In fact, he acted like he didn’t even know them. So David set out to kill not only him, but anyone that belonged to him. Abigail got word of that and set out to meet David. And she eloquently argued against violence by appealing to David’s good side. David said to her, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgement and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.” While David gives much praise to Abigail for having the courage to reason with him, David equally deserves credit for being open or reasonable to Abigail’s appeal.

The New King James renders this word as “willing to yield.” The NIV translates it as, “submissive.” Dr. Kent Hughes states, “The rendering of ‘submissive’ is fine if one understands it as willing to submit to persuasion, or open to reason.” Synonyms of reasonable are fair or just, free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception.

So in those difficult relationships of yours, do you seek to listen and understand rather than having the upper-hand, or winning? Are you open to opposing views or are you quick to defend your view? When the occasion arises and someone shows good reason as to why you could be wrong, are you willing to say, “You know what, I could be wrong on this.”

[This is the third of a series of articles on the subject of handling difficult relationships from God’s viewpoint.]

Hercules, according to legend, grew increasingly irritated by a strange, menacing animal that kept blocking his path. In a fit of anger, he struck the animal with his club, killing it. Yet, as he continued his path, he encountered the same animal, each time larger and more menacing than before. At last, a wise messenger appeared and warned Hercules to stop his furious assault. “The monster is Strife, and you are stirring him up,” said the messenger. “Just let it alone and it will shrivel and cease to trouble you.”

Difficult relationships often bring out that part of our old nature that wants to counter with a stronger reply or reaction to the one causing us grief. The epistle of James, in the above verse, gives us a God-desired response to that difficult one(s) in our lives.

The Apostle James, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, told the believers to resist the temptation to envy and selfish ambition. Instead, he called upon them to respond in the manner delineated above in James. First, we saw that we are to respond with a “pure” motive, seeking understanding and reconciliation. Secondly, we saw that this pure motive should lead to a peaceable, or better yet, a peacemaking heart. It does not come with a desire to control or win an argument, but with a desire to make peace without sacrificing truth.

In this writing, I want us to look at the third quality in this behavior that is led by God’s Spirit which is the word “gentle.” In the Greek text it is the word epieikes. This is a very interesting word. It is not easily translated. The scholar, William Barclay, calls it the most untranslatable term in the list. The Greek scholar, Archbishop Trench, said, “There is no word in English or Latin to adequately translate this word.”

Arno Gaebelein said, “It describes the kind of person who, though wronged and possessing the ‘right’ not to bend, nevertheless forgoes his rights.” Burdick, another scholar, said in the Septuagint this adjective “is used mostly of God’s disposition as King. He is gentle and kind, although in reality He has every reason to be stern and punitive toward men in their sin. God’s people are also to be marked by this godlike quality.”

Solomon said it well, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.” Gentleness is not a temperament trait as some think. It is one who has the capacity and strength to come back strong, but whose godly heart yields to the Spirit’s power, resisting the urge to get even or “set one straight.” Peter lifted up Jesus as the prime example of such gentleness when he said:

and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

So how would you grade your capacity of gentleness? Would others say that your gentleness with difficult people truly reflects one who extends grace in the face of a difficult relationship as did Christ?

In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Lucy says to Snoopy: “There are times when you really bug me, but I must admit, there are times when I feel like giving you a big hug.”

Snoopy replies: “That is the way I am…huggable and buggable.”

How do you respond to those relationships that really “bug” you? How do you respond when others mistreat you? How do you respond when others criticize you or talk about you? How do you respond when others put you down in a meeting or at a social gathering? How do you respond to the person at your work or school who is constantly taking jabs at you? Or maybe it is not that anyone has personally maligned you, but there is a misunderstanding that has occurred and you seem to be declared as the one in fault. How do you handle those situations?

James 3:17 (above) was given in the context of believers who were critical and malicious with each other. He alludes to the core problems when he speaks of believers having envy and selfish ambition in the previous passage. In other words, there was jealousy among some believers and others who had personal agendas which probably led to a desire to control. This resulted in malicious gossip, misunderstandings and false assumptions.

James, who was so practical in his application of truth, gives us a road map for handling difficult relationships when there is tension and misunderstanding. In reality, James shows us the spirit and conduct of one who is truly Spirit-filled and finds himself in such a difficult relationship. We might say that James gives us the Holy Spirit’s x-ray of the heart.

The first word James gave was the word “pure” which simply meant having a pure motive when attempting to resolve a difficult relationship. The second word on this roadmap that I will discuss here, is the word,”peaceable.” As I view this, I think this speaks of one who is not abrasive, judgmental, harsh or vindictive when seeking to resolve a conflict. They truly come in peace, seeking to understand and to be reconciled, not to win an argument.

One bulletin blooper stated: “The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.” The truth of the matter is that conflict can not be resolved without a heart that desires to seek peace.

I loved the way Job’s fourth friend named Elihu approached Job. In contrast to Job’s other friends, Elihu, who had the truth, approached Job in humility. He said essentially, “Job I could be wrong but here is what I think God would have you know and if you think I am wrong, tell me.” That is an example of approaching others in peace.

In Matthew 5:9, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” In Ephesians 4:3, the Apostle Paul said, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

The scholar Edmond Hiebert speaking about the word “peaceable” in James 3 said, “It will not compromise with sin to maintain peace. But even when fighting against sin, it hungers for peace, yearning to heal all divisions by its wise counsel.”

James seems to drive this home in verse 18, stating that peacemakers sow and harvest righteousness in peace. Equally, his intimation is that true righteousness or godliness can not be produced in a climate of bitterness and self-seeking. Righteousness only grows in the greenhouse of peacemaking. What does this look like? I would say, it is grace in the face of a difficult relationship.

[This is the first in a series of Shepherd Staffs that will focus on handling difficult relationships God’s way.]

How do you respond when others mistreat you? How do you respond when others criticize you or talk about you? How do you respond when others put you down in a meeting or at a social gathering? How do you respond to the person at your work or school who is constantly taking jabs at you? Or maybe it is not that anyone has personally maligned you, but there is a misunderstanding that has occurred and you seem to be declared as the one at fault. How do you handle those situations? If we are all honest, I think that most of us would say that there are times when we would like to give them a piece of our mind that we can ill afford to lose. However, if you have walked with God for any length of time, you know that God wants us to respond in a radically different way.

The passage at the top of this page was given by the Apostle James in the context in which believers were having quarrels and conflicts…and certainly misunderstandings. He alludes to the core problems when he speaks of believers having envy and selfish ambition in the previous passage. In other words, there was jealousy among some believers and others who had personal agendas which probably led to a desire to control. In that kind of context, false assumptions and misunderstandings abound.

James was one of the apostles who was notorious for being able to get the cookies on the lower shelf. He was great at showing people what truth looks like when it is “fleshed out.” In the passage above, James lays out, in my opinion, the spirit and conduct of one who is truly Spirit-filled and finds himself in a situation where there has been mistreatment or misunderstanding on one side or both. Here he gives a great snapshot, or perhaps measuring stick, of what is truly behavior led by God’s Spirit.

How often we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are led by God or Spirit-filled, but our actions bring that into question. James gives us the Holy Spirit’s x-ray. The first component he mentions, and arguably the overriding guiding principle, is that of “pure.” This word in the Greek is “hagnos” and means “undefiled.” This means that when dealing with a difficult relationship, my motive must be pure. I must not have a motive to win, or gain control or make myself look good. But rather the first priority is to reconcile. Out of that motive should flow a desire to understand, rather than win or control.

I believe that having a pure motive and extending grace go hand in hand. Grace recognizes that we are all imperfect people. We’ve all made mistakes and we’ll make more. There comes a time in every relationship when it’s damaging to seek revenge…or even justice, when settling the score only stirs the fire. Grace recognizes that the best thing you can do is accept your brother and offer him the same grace you have been given. God calls that a “pure” motive.