I have a friend who is a seamstress – her name is Carolyn– and the other day, I showed her one of my sweaters which was beginning to unravel right at a place where three seams meet. Carolyn took the sweater – very carefully, I might add, because every time we moved it, the hole got a little bigger – anyway, she gingerly examined where it was unraveling, touched it here and there, frowned a bit, then said, “this is going to take some careful work... I’ll have to handle the fabric very gently if we’re going to restore your sweater like it was before. If we get sloppy about this, the hole will only get bigger and your sweater, Joni, I’m sorry, it will get ruined. ”
I watched this expert study the fabric, examine the seams, gently turn it inside and out, and then... her face relaxed; I could tell she knew exactly how she was going to fix it.
I tell you, I wish I had the patience of my friend, Carolyn -- the care and concern... the studied thoughtfulness. Especially when it comes to Galatians chapter 6 verse 1. It says there, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” I wish I handled other believers– I wish I handled them like I do my sweaters, especially believers who are caught in sin. It’s that part about restoring them gently. I don’t always do that. I see someone feeling depressed about what looks to me small and incidental, and I’m on their case in a flash. I think about all the other people I know who are struggling, really struggling – people with disabilities in other countries who have it rough and I begin to lose patience with that friend who’s feeling sorry for himself. I don’t stop to think about the hidden particulars of his problems.
The fact is, the spiritual state of my friend may be as fragile as, well... 3 little seams that are beginning to come unstitched. For all I know, my Christian friend may be on the point of unraveling all together, his or her confidence in God may have a huge hole in it that I can’t even see. The root of her depression may be deeper then I realize; there may be other factors at play which I cannot observe. And Galatians chapter 6 calls me to, first, be spiritual – not religious, not self-righteous, but be spiritual and restore that believer gently. Be thoughtful, study the situation carefully, ask God to help you come up with a plan, and approach, handling the Word of God carefully.
Just ask my friend Carolyn. If we want to restore anything that’s got a problem – whether it’s sweaters or saints – we can’t get sloppy. Deal with that friend of yours who is trapped in sin; deal with him or her thoughtfully would you? Studiedly, prayerfully, carefully... ask God what Scriptures he would want you to apply to the situation and then handle the fabric of that friend’s soul gently, oh, so gently. After all, you don’t want to ruin... you are there to restore.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
© Joni and Friends