Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” — Luke 5:31–32 (NIV)

The religious leaders didn’t get it, but Jesus wanted them to understand something that we all need to learn. While we can forgive at a distance, we cannot reconcile at a distance. Reassembling relationships requires proximity. We must move toward the unreconciled, just as our heavenly father moved toward us when our relationship with him was broken and in need of restoration.

If we have the mindset of Jesus, we will look for ways to move in the direction of the other person. We will remove every obstacle to reconciliation that we possibly can. We must remember that reconciliation isn’t the goal. That is because it is beyond our control. The goal is to live with no regret as we do everything that we possibly can to remove all of the obstacles that prevent us from moving toward reconciliation.

What do you think about when it comes to the difficult relationships in your life that stand in need of reconciliation? What is stopping you from moving in their direction and trying to remove every obstacle to reconciliation?

If you are a Jesus follower and you intend to live according to his word and if you want to do his will and have the mindset of Jesus, this is required.

If you are unwilling to do this, my question is are you willing to allow the spirit of God complete access to your heart to create a willingness going forward? Are you willing to allow him access to examine your heart to determine if there is anything residing there that is inconsistent with the nature and character of Christ?

This is really where the rubber meets the road in our spiritual lives. It is so easy for us to hear a message like this, walk away and do nothing about it. I pray that will not happen.

This is not easy. It is not intuitive. It must be learned. I am convinced it is God’s will for us. It is the example Jesus set. And it is possible, but I am confident that today more than ever, it can only be done with the help of the holy spirit.

With God’s help, we can do our part and we can live with no regret when it comes to navigating the sometimes turbulent waters that come with relational challenges.

Steve Greene is the lead pastor of The Point in Seymour. Read his blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or email him at [email protected].