First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Matt. 5:24)

Neil’s fiancéE handled all the details for the wedding, but he had just one thing to do: book the venue, St. George’s Hall in Liverpool, England. However, bridegrooms can be somewhat distracted, so he forgot, and didn’t remember until the morning of the wedding! So what did he do? Confess? Book another location? No. Instead, Neil hoped to cover up his mistake by calling in a bomb threat on St. George’s Hall. The hall was closed by the authorities and the wedding was canceled. Only later did they discover who pulled the foolish prank. 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 has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

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 the author of Being Dad and coauthor of SoulShift and Ageless Faith (all Wesleyan Publishing House). He is also the chief of staff of The Wesleyan Church.