First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matt. 5:24)
Neil’s fiancée planned the wedding. He had only one responsibility: book the venue, St. George’s Hall in Liverpool, England. However, as bridegrooms can, Neil became distracted and forgot his job until the morning of the wedding! What could he do? Confess? Book another location? Instead, Neil tried to cover up his mistake by calling in a bomb threat on St. George’s Hall. Authorities closed the hall, and the bride postponed the wedding. Only later did they discover who was responsible. Forgetful Neil is now serving a year in jail.
Most things aren’t worth interrupting a service for, but according to Scripture, there is one thing. There is something so significant that it would be better to walk right out of the sanctuary and go handle the matter before you go back in. In Matthew 5, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (vv. 23–24).
Reconciliation is worth interrupting your worship for. Jesus said that if there’s something someone has against you—some reason you have offended or hurt him or her—you should stop everything and go take care of it right away.
Reconcile with others even if you must interrupt your worship for it.
David Drury is a multivocational second-chair leader, org founder, church planter, author, researcher for author Max Lucado, and previous chief of staff for The Wesleyan Church headquarters.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
