How important is it to you to be right? I promised my followers that if they continued in my word they would know the truth and the truth would make them free. There is no life and light apart from the truth. Are you more concerned about being correct or about displaying my love and character to the world? These goals should not be in conflict, but do you know people who turn the pursuit of truth into a contentious contest? People don’t care about the perfection of your doctrine as much as you think they do. Would you be surprised if I didn’t either? People do care if you love them and so do I. Continue in my word and in your pursuit of truth and let it make you more free and loving. 

Is it important to you to be right? Everyone else feels the same way. Yet people hold a wide range of positions. How many do so with the awareness that they could be wrong? Is it more important to you to be right or to be like me? For how much Christlikeness is demonstrated by two parties arguing over which one of them is right? My word teaches you to suffer yourselves to be defrauded rather than to contend with a brother in court. So in some cases it isn’t worth the cost to prove yourself right and win. Be aware of the costs involved on both sides and be prepared to follow the higher law of love. 

No one can come to a place of repentance unless they are convicted of sin, and this is the job of the Holy Spirit. Have you ever tried to convict someone of sin by your own efforts? If this has ever been done to you did you find it annoying and ineffective? So this is not an effective approach to evangelism. Yet have you ever been convicted by the righteous conduct of someone else, even if they made no effort to admonish you directly? Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify me. You can become an agent of the Holy Spirit’s ministry without speaking a word. 

In matters of law and justice, ignorance of the law is considered a valid defense. It may not be enough for a not guilty verdict, but it is a mitigating factor. Did you think it was a gracious thing for me to pray regarding those who killed me, forgive them for they know not what they do? This is really giving the benefit of the doubt concerning motive. Yet who sins with a conscious awareness of the consequences that will ensue? Do you? You cannot examine the thoughts and intents of someone else’s heart, but in this case you can err on the side of grace. Are you prepared to ask for forgiveness for others on the assumption that they sinned in ignorance?