Have you ever wandered from the truth?

James 5:19-20

My dad was a very curious person and that can be a good trait; the inquisitive person will look deeper into a matter to find what lies hidden from the many who will not make the effort to examine or explore.  But it also can be and in dad’s case was a problem going on trips or vacation, he never saw a road that he did not want to explore and often we got lost.  One of my childhood memories was going through Arkansas and dad took a short cut, the road went from a four lane road to a two lane and then from paved surface to stone, an even dad became concerned when it turned into a dirt lane.  My brother Fred was a tall skinny kid of thirteen and dad told him the next house we see I want you to ask for directions, the next house was a shack with car tires piled high all over the yard.  Fred got out to what looked like an empty front yard and he was almost to the shack that set back about twenty yards from the dirt lane, when it seemed as if kids of all ages started coming out of those tires.  They were yelling some kind of war cry and it was amazing how fast Fred’s tall skinny legs made it back to our car, it was also amazing how fast dad drove on that dirt lane getting out of the war zone.

My daughter, if given the opportunity would tell you that my dad’s inquisitive trait was not lost from the family, that her dad has also taken many short cuts and gone down many a road that ended up being a circle or a dead-end.  I know of few people who have not at some point in their life taken the wrong road, often the other road looks better, greener or just more inviting.  Those roads can lead to heartaches, broken relationships, loss of income, bad health, and even prison.  James is addressing the church about members of the body of Christ who have left the road of truth.  We should never forget what the church is not; it is not the pastor, nor is it a staff member, but the church is all of us who are in Christ.  And we would be wise to read and take to heart verses 19 and 20, “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Have you ever wandered from the truth, and God in His great love and mercy sent a brother or sister in Christ to guide you back to truth?  If so, then you like me have experienced forgiveness and most often once we are back basking in fellowship with the Lord, we also become less condemning of the sins that have enticed a fellow Christian to leave the road of truth.  C.T. Studd was such a man, and was quoted as saying these words: “Some wish to live within the sound Of Church or Chapel Bell.  I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice