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Helping the Tempted
109
difficulties, craving sympathy and help. Then we shall meet them
in such a way as not to discourage or repel them, but to awaken
hope in their hearts. As they are thus encouraged, they can say with
confidence, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will
arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light unto me.” He
“pleads my case, and executes justice for me; He will bring me forth
to the light, and I will see His righteousness.”
Micah 7:8, 9
.
God “looks on all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually.”
Psalm 33:14, 15.
He counsels us, in dealing with the tempted and erring, consider
“yourself lest you also be tempted.”
Galatians 6:1
. With a sense of
our own infirmities, we shall have compassion for the infirmities of
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others.
“Who makes you differ from another? And what do you have
that you did not receive?” “‘One is your Teacher, ... and you are all
brethren.’” “Why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show
contempt for your brother?” “Therefore let us not judge one another,
... but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to
fall in our brother’s way.”
1 Corinthians 4:7
;
Matthew 23:8
;
Romans
14:10, 13
.
It is always humiliating to have one’s errors pointed out. None
should make the experience more bitter by needless censure. No one
was ever reclaimed by reproach, but many have thus been repelled
and have been led to steel their hearts against conviction. A tender
spirit, a gentle, winning deportment may save the erring and hide a
multitude of sins.
The apostle Paul found it necessary to reprove wrong, but how
carefully he tried to show that he was a friend to the erring! How
tenderly he explained to them the reason for his action! He made
them understand that it cost him pain to give them pain. He showed
his confidence and sympathy toward the ones who were struggling
to overcome.
“Out of much affliction and anguish of heart,” he said, “I wrote
to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that