Christ Jesus outlined the way to deal with the situation when others seem to offend us—when their behavior toward us seems to have been unethical or damaging, or when they have, according to our judgment, violated rules of Christian conduct and trespassed against society. He showed us how to pray and how to forgive as we ourselves would be forgiven. He taught us patience, selflessness, and love in the expectation of healing.
But the Master indicated that there are sometimes human steps to be taken under divine direction in order to right a wrong. First, we should go directly to the one who offends us and discuss the fault with him face to face.
This procedure sounds simple, but it demands integrity and unselfed affection, and sometimes more courage than people are at times prepared to express. Yet if we are professing to be Christians, we have no choice but to take this course since Jesus said, "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." Matt. 18:15;
