Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 1 Timothy 5:22
Harsh reactions to someone who has done something wrong is very common. People are very quick to want to hit back at the person who hurt them or even hurt someone else. Not always is it a physical strike, but there still is some type of strike against the person.
Some people are very quick to physically fight a person they are mad at. Others will verbally attack or slander the person. Often this is done very quickly with no real thought as to what they are doing or saying. It is a unthought reaction.
Others are not very quick to react on their own, but are quick to follow the crowd in a negative reaction. All across the nation people are very quick to judge and condemn a person in the news media for something that they have no real clue as to what really happened. They hear a small part of the news condemning the person and every one jumps on board to also judge, with no true evidence.
Riots and violence are often started in this way. People are swayed by the sins of others and led down the wrong path. No one wants to be left out or thought of as wrong.
Paul stated that one should not be hasty in acting in this way. Acting rashly can be a sin and the believer is supposed to keep himself pure. Jesus did not act suddenly or rashly. He acted out of obedience to His Father, not out of sudden emotion or sway of the crowd.
Believers in the church often condemn someone without proof or leave a church on the word of one person because of a rash decision.
There will come times when you are pushed to make a rash decision. Stop and pray to God about what to say or do. Find out what the Father wants you to do. In this way you will not be caught up in the heat of the moment and sin against God or others.
It is easy to go with the crowd and sin, but it is better to go with God and be pure. Do not be quick to lay hands or words of judgment upon another person.
I pray today that God will guide you in your words and actions; that God will reveal to you the truth; that God will keep you pure from all sin; and that you will be His witness in this world.
Leave a Reply