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Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Gospel:
Matthew 18: 15-20
Being a Problem
Solver
Highlighted
Verses: Matthew 18: 15-20
“If another member of
the church sins
against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.
If the
member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16But if you are
not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every
word may
be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If the
member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the
offender
refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a
Gentile and
a tax collector. 18Truly I tell you,
whatever you bind on earth will
be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in
heaven. 19Again,
truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask,
it will
be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three
are
gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Have
you ever done something that was not so nice?
It's hard to admit, but I bet we can all think of times that we haven't
been as kind as we could have been. And I bet you can also think of
times that others have been unkind to you.
So here's a question: What should we do about it?
That's a pretty easy question when we're the ones who are wrong, isn't
it? What's the right thing to do when we've
been unkind in some way? (Apologize - and change our behaviors.) But
what about when others are unkind to us?
What's the best way to solve that problem? (Solicit children's answers)
Sounds like you have some very good problem solving skills!
In tonight's Gospel Jesus teaches a lesson about problem solving in our
relationships with others - and what he suggests sounds similar to some
of your ideas.
Jesus says that when others have sinned against us - and done something
unkind - that the first thing to do is have a talk with them. Most of
the time when you have a problem talking it over can get things fixed,
can't it?
If that doesn't work, maybe we need to some help? Sometimes asking a
friend or two can really make things better.
And when none of that works, sometimes we just need to take a break -
don't we?
Sounds like your ideas are a lot like Jesus' when it comes to solving
problems. Keep those good ideas in mind this week, ok? Let's pray.
Dear God,
Help us to be kind to others and to be good problem solvers, following
in your path, when we face problems with others.
Amen.
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