Genesis 43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

It is a difficult thing to constrain yourself over issues at times. If we care deeply about injustice, if we feel that someone is being slighted, our natural instinct is to expose the wrong and make it right.

There are always two sides to every issue. We want to take sides. One has to be right or at least better than the other. Can you consider this first when confronted with your view of any difficult situation?

God loves them all.

The larger issue is not to choose sides and fight for right, it is to win both sides to God.

There are people in this world who have strong deep rooted emotions that are not just generational, they are life as they know it. They haven’t been allowed to see any other way. Throwing truth at them like a blinding light does not cause them to see, it causes them to close their eyes.

The preparatory work of the Holy Spirit is in finding cracks in the rocky heart and drip, drip, drip away as an erosive force to break the heart of stone. It is a slow and patient process. That can only been done by that Spirit which is in us and causes us to look beyond the situation and constrain our natural instincts.

Matthew 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

Jesus knew how to break bread together and the Holy Spirit will show us how to be like that also.

Romans 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Which is the greatest sin?

OK, that is a trick question because all sin is equal in God’s sight.

So which sin is most harmful to a Christian ministry?

Hypocrisy.

Luke 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

One cannot lead men in the Way if he cannot walk in it himself.

We do not expect our teachers to be perfect, only repentant.

That was the first of the woes to the leaders of the temple by Jesus.

Luke 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

We have a high expectation of our preachers and teachers and we examine them closely, but not so closely as what his Lord does.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

For we are all subject to examination by anyone who should ask and answerable unto our Lord for our answers.