Very often we assume that loving someone means that we just blindly accept everything
about them and never confront them when they are wrong.  However, if we truly love
someone then there are definite times when we need to confront them, like:

(1) When others stand to be hurt.  Paul writes, "When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed
him to his face, because he was...wrong" (Gal 2:11 NIV). Wow! Listen again, "Before
certain men came...[Peter] used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began
to...separate himself [and]...The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy...even Barnabas
was led astray" (Gal 2:12-13 NIV).

(2) When somebody is settling for less. The story is told that a woman bought a pair of
dingy candlesticks at a yard sale for a dollar. Assuming they were made of pewter, she
took them home, dusted them, and set them on her table. One day a friend who worked
in antiques dropped by; "When are you going to clean those candlesticks?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" the woman asked, "I just dusted them yesterday." "Dusted?"
laughed her friend. "They need to be buffed and polished. They're silver!" So they got
silver polish and clean cloths and went to work, until the dull charcoal veneer yielded a
pair of gleaming silver candlesticks.

Loving confrontation removes the tarnish that keeps us from shining as God intended us
to.   God wants us to speak the "truth in love."  Today ask God to make you willing to
confront, and when necessary, to be confronted. Your growth depends on it!

Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Kip Banks
Pastor's Corner
Pastor Kip B. Banks, Sr.

Pastor's Biography
"Loving Confrontation"
"An intergenerational
family of disciples who
love God, love transform
the community with the
Gospel of Jesus Christ."
EAST WASHINGTON HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH