Since the heart is only known by God, how can we be SURE?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Rico

I have an experience I would like to share with you:


Several years ago there was a man in our church. I will call him Brother X. Brother X was very prejudiced against black folks. Well, you all know my wife is half black and us Puerto Ricans have black roots too.

Anyway, Brother X and I started working together and things were not going well. We had some issues getting along and our personalities just seemed to clash. After some counseling from my pastor, I decided not to work for this man any more. I followed the instructions my pastor gave me, and when Bro. X found out I had quit him in the middle of a job, he came to my house and cussed out my wife and me, calling me the N word and anything else he could think. I was not there and my poor wife had to endure this scene by herself.

When I found out about it I was livid. All I knew to do was to look for direction from the Bible. I found the scriptures in Matt 18 and started following what they said to do. Afterall, we are supposed to be apostolic and do what the Bible says to do.

I went to Bro. X privately to ask him about what had happened when he came to my house. We were in the church parking lot at the time, and he started cussing me out and called me the N word to my face. In fact, we almost got into a fight because I was going to knock him on his backside when he said that to me. I didn't, partly because an elder from the church had witnessed what had happened and intervened.

I decided I would go the pastor and let him know what had happened. I had my scriptures and everything. The pastor told me that, yes, according to the Bible I had a case for bringing this man before the entire church over what he had done and his refusal to apologize.

However, I also had another option, and this is the one I chose. The pastor explained to me that he knew this man's tempermant and knew he would end up leaving the church if I brought what had happened before them, for them to decide. I also had the option of simply forgiving Bro. X. I chose this option, for the sake of church peace and for the sake of Bro. X. I did not want to let something like the ignorance that had been put into him by his father be the reason for him leaving the Church. To this day Bro X and I have not spoken to each other, I am not angry with him, and am not bitter over what happened.

I think you handled that great. When people do things because of learned behavior it's just better to walk away.

I simply cannot fathom Christians treating humans beings in the way it has happened in this country. It still floors me. My husband told me things his grandfather has said. I told him, "I'm sure if your grandfather was alive I wouldn't like him very much."