Do It Now, Not Later

   The next verses in our Sermon on the Mount study are in Matthew 5: 23-24. Reading them in the Living Bible:

“So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and suddenly remember that a friend has something against you, ²⁴ leave your sacrifice there beside the altar and go and apologize and be reconciled to him, and then come and offer your sacrifice to God."

   I searched through a lot of translations to find the one that I thought expressed it the way I was feeling this morning. That is not to say that I wanted to find one that made it easier on me to think about or live out, but one that expressed its truth in my life.

   The gist of the verses seem to be that I need to make things right with anyone that I have wronged, not just anyone that thinks bad thoughts about me. That it is wrong for me to just go blithely on, looking good, making the right advances toward God, being in the right places, smiling and acting if I am the perfect husband, father, co-worker, church member, whatever my role is.

   And I need to make things right in order that my offerings to God of time, talent or money are acceptable to Him.

   All over our island right now, there is campaigning for an election. There are signs urging people to vote for this or that party or person. There are pictures in the paper every day of men and women smiling for the cameras and looking good, so the voters will be impressed enough to vote their way.

   I can act the same way, smiling my way through life without any regard for persons that I have wronged in my life. The verses above show that I am the one that needs to apologize and reconcile for something done to another. It is my responsibility, not to look good, but to be that way.

   The hard part is looking back over the years and remembering those things that need to be apologized for. For too many it is impossible because the wronged parties are no longer here. God can and does forgive, but it's difficult to bring closure to a memory without the forgiveness of the other party.

   So, is there a solution to this problem? Can I change the past? No.

   Can I do something in the present to prevent things from becoming regrets?

   I can keep short accounts with God and with others. I can apologize in the present, not letting years pass and hoping that the wrong action or word will just fade away. I can seek forgiveness from both.

   I can see to it that my offerings to God are acceptable, because I have not shirked my responsibility to my fellow man.