Week of Monday September 22 – September 28
Restoration – Man as Battle Buddy
"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2 ESV
Restoration can be a challenging, time-consuming, and expensive process, whether the thing being restored is a piece of antique furniture, a vintage vehicle, an old home, or a person’s health. After having a heart attack and undergoing multiple bypass surgery, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to restore one’s health. Yet God by His grace restored me, and I, for one, am grateful. In Galatians 6, the apostle Paul addresses a different kind of restoration: helping a broken brother who has made a mistake.
There’s a saying that goes, “If you want to know who your real friends are, make a mistake.” Obviously, none of us is perfect. We are all sinners by nature and by choice. We have sinned in the past, we sin in the present, and we will continue to sin until we die or the Lord comes back. Paul reminds us that God will hold us accountable. Our choices have consequences, and we will reap what we sow. However, Paul also gives instructions about how Christians can help and restore a brother who has sinned.
This process takes spiritual tact. Paul said to approach the restoration of a broken brother in a “spirit of gentleness.” Many of us men may not naturally feel gentle, but this quality is essential when helping a Battle Buddy make his way back to fellowship with the Lord. The Greek word for “restore” actually evokes the image of mending a broken bone. If you have ever had a broken bone, you definitely wanted the medical people to use some “gentleness” when working with it. Similarly, when we seek to help others, we must be gentle as well as vigilant, lest we be tempted ourselves (verse 1b).
If a broken bone is not set properly, it won’t heal correctly. In some cases, the bone may even need to be rebroken so it can heal as it should. This brings us to the other side of this process: accountability. A Battle Buddy plays an important role in this by speaking the truth in love about the consequences of bad choices and urging a fallen friend to change course. Although confrontation can be uncomfortable, it is necessary. We can’t afford to let a brother drift away from the Lord.
The devil’s strategy is to divide and conquer, separating people from God and their fellow believers. Paul reminds us that we must be proactive in offering care and concern to those who are struggling. Our goal should be to help our broken brother come to repentance and restoration, rather than letting him continue to experience shame and defeat.
Men, I have personally experienced the need for a Battle Buddy. God has used my Battle Buddy to shape and mold me, hold me accountable, and, if necessary, speak uncomfortable truth into my heart and life. For this, I am eternally grateful, and it inspires me to be a Battle Buddy to other men of God. I urge you to consider the importance of having a Battle Buddy in your life and also being that person for others. As Paul urged: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Restoration – Man as Battle Buddy
"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2 ESV
Restoration can be a challenging, time-consuming, and expensive process, whether the thing being restored is a piece of antique furniture, a vintage vehicle, an old home, or a person’s health. After having a heart attack and undergoing multiple bypass surgery, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to restore one’s health. Yet God by His grace restored me, and I, for one, am grateful. In Galatians 6, the apostle Paul addresses a different kind of restoration: helping a broken brother who has made a mistake.
There’s a saying that goes, “If you want to know who your real friends are, make a mistake.” Obviously, none of us is perfect. We are all sinners by nature and by choice. We have sinned in the past, we sin in the present, and we will continue to sin until we die or the Lord comes back. Paul reminds us that God will hold us accountable. Our choices have consequences, and we will reap what we sow. However, Paul also gives instructions about how Christians can help and restore a brother who has sinned.
This process takes spiritual tact. Paul said to approach the restoration of a broken brother in a “spirit of gentleness.” Many of us men may not naturally feel gentle, but this quality is essential when helping a Battle Buddy make his way back to fellowship with the Lord. The Greek word for “restore” actually evokes the image of mending a broken bone. If you have ever had a broken bone, you definitely wanted the medical people to use some “gentleness” when working with it. Similarly, when we seek to help others, we must be gentle as well as vigilant, lest we be tempted ourselves (verse 1b).
If a broken bone is not set properly, it won’t heal correctly. In some cases, the bone may even need to be rebroken so it can heal as it should. This brings us to the other side of this process: accountability. A Battle Buddy plays an important role in this by speaking the truth in love about the consequences of bad choices and urging a fallen friend to change course. Although confrontation can be uncomfortable, it is necessary. We can’t afford to let a brother drift away from the Lord.
The devil’s strategy is to divide and conquer, separating people from God and their fellow believers. Paul reminds us that we must be proactive in offering care and concern to those who are struggling. Our goal should be to help our broken brother come to repentance and restoration, rather than letting him continue to experience shame and defeat.
Men, I have personally experienced the need for a Battle Buddy. God has used my Battle Buddy to shape and mold me, hold me accountable, and, if necessary, speak uncomfortable truth into my heart and life. For this, I am eternally grateful, and it inspires me to be a Battle Buddy to other men of God. I urge you to consider the importance of having a Battle Buddy in your life and also being that person for others. As Paul urged: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
- Do you have a man of God in your life with whom you can be completely honest about your struggles? Do you meet regularly to discuss your challenges and ask each other hard questions?
- Are you being an effective Battle Buddy to another man of God? Can you think of a time when you had to hold him accountable for getting off course with the Lord? What could you have done differently to better align with Paul’s instructions?
- Pray and ask God to enlarge your heart for broken brothers in your life and help you undertake this mission of restoration.