View the July-August, 2012 Issue
If anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.
I had taken a rock-wall-climbing challenge on a dare, despite my fear of heights. As my fingers found themselves placed in the climbing holes, my mind raced: What happens if I fall? Will someone be there to catch me? I cautiously peered down the 36-foot wall and spotted the belayer — the person who controls the tension in the rope. Belayers give climbers slack in the rope when it’s needed and pull in excess to prevent a fall. Then I was not so fearful.
- Galatians 6:1 (NRSV)
In a spiritual sense, God gives us belayers in life. They may be friends, mentors, or accountability partners. God gives us relationships that encourage us upward in our spiritual growth and keep us from stumbling. These people comfort and care for us but also hold us accountable for how we live our faith.
We may feel hurt or offended when someone we love points out a shortcoming. However, spiritual friends love us in spite of our faults and challenge us to change, to grow closer to the way of Christ.
