Galatians 6:1
My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don’t be tempted yourself.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy is watching a new series on NickJr. – Peter Rabbit – based on the beloved children’s books written by Beatrix Potter. Now let’s be clear… Peter Rabbit is a stinker! He steals from Mr. McGregor’s garden, and he is incredibly conniving. He’s not above involving his fellow rabbits, Lily Bobtail and Benjamin Bunny in his escapades, either! But Peter Rabbit is also encouraging and positive. He looks for the good in each situation and leads his friends with optimism and confidence. One of the friends said, “If Peter says he can do it, he can do it!”
What does this have to do with us… and with this scripture passage? Let’s be honest… we’re all stinkers! In our own ways, we lie, cheat and steal…although we may “pretty up” these actions with names like “coloring the truth” and “figuring out a way to make things work to our advantage.” But at the end of the day, we all have our moments.
As Christians, we are called to leave these things behind… to “walk away from Mr. McGregor’s garden,” so to speak. And we are to take our friends with us! The Apostle Paul reminds us that this is not always easy. The temptation is there to step back into our old ways. We must stay awake and alert…“prayed up” for strength and courage to be tough and resilient in our faith.
Helping another person get their life back on track is not easy. We must be extremely careful that in doing so, we do not come across as arrogant or superior. We must also avoid enabling the person… or worse yet, sliding right in alongside them and reverting to our old ways. We must stay faithful, close to God, and confident that He will give us the strength and courage to walk in His wisdom and will. With God’s help and power behind us, we will be able to say with confidence and surety, “I can do this… and so can YOU!”
I’m amazed at how and where God reveals Himself to me… even in a children’s story like Peter Rabbit. I am thankful that He is keeping me on my toes, and I am working hard to always be aware of His presence in each and every situation. With God’s help, I can “stay out of Mr. McGregor’s garden and away from the wolf (Satan) who wants to have me for dinner”…and I can encourage others to do the same. What about you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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