Two Ways of Reacting

Two Ways of Reacting

Unrighteousness will abound. Matt. 24:12. There is no way around it. Jesus has predicted it. It is a fact.

However, when you now see that one brother commits an unrighteousness act and another commits an unrighteousness act, what effect does it have on you? What is your reaction? What are you thinking?

There are two opposite ways of reacting. Most people react backwards by taking offense, getting angry, growing tired of doing good, getting tired of battling, and finally becoming lukewarm and cold. Then such people ask whom they should believe, as if they didn’t know that they should believe God. Even though God’s people are unrighteous and unreliable and unfaithful, yet God is truthful and faithful! His holy name be praised!

The only right and good and profitable way of reacting is this: My brother is unrighteous. Just look how bad that is! I am going to be careful not to do the same, and my entire inner being is on high alert to make sure that I am righteous to the utmost.

My brothers are lukewarm, slothful, and slow. This will never do, and my inner being is set aflame so that I am twice as zealous as before, calling out loudly to awaken those who can be awakened.

My brothers don’t do enough. Then I see to it that it doesn’t go the same way with me by making an additional effort in order to—if possible—make up for and counteract this lack of action.

I have nothing to complain about! I am not losing anything by it, for the more I love and serve, the better it is for me for time and eternity! Those who love and who love to do good are not offended by anything. They are not losing anything; on the contrary, they only gain on all their ways and in all situations.