Hanging our dirty laundry.....

Hanging out the dirty laundry....

Often our fellow believers will point out to us that we should not hang out our dirty laundry for all to see. Sometimes this may be because it makes them uncomfortable as they are reminded of issues they have not yet dealt with themselves but it may also be a genuine concern for what it may do to our reputation and how people may abuse it and use the truth of our errors against us. They are right to some extent, Jesus does say in Matthew 7:6 "Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” In other words do not waste what is important and special to you on people who will not understand or appreciate it. This is certainly true in society, if you expose your weaknesses and faults it will be used against you. The world in general is not a safe and understanding place. However, within the family of Christ the situation should be very different. Ephesians 5:11-13 tells us that we must expose all the evil that has been going on secretly, to bring to light what happens in darkness. Also James 5:16 encourages us to confess our sins to one-another. In other words, within the family of believers we should be able to hang out the dirty laundry and expose what is wrong and confess our sins in the knowledge that we are safe and it will not be used against us but instead we receive help, forgiveness, gentle rebuke, healing and restoration. If the family of God is not a safe place to do so, where can we go? Too many people are forced to live a life of pretence and hypocrisy among us because we do have enough grace and mercy, patience and forgiveness to help them bring out their dirty laundry and have it cleansed.