How Many Times?

In Matthew 18, Jesus shares two parables. Between these parables, He shares instructions for what to do if another believer wrongs you. The first parable (The Parable of the Lost Sheep) expands our understanding of Jesus’ instruction on how to respond to another believer who sins against you. Too commonly, that instruction is viewed as an impersonal policy to prove our point or to deal with difficult people. It’s easy to look at what Jesus says to achieve our own ends, prove our point, or dismiss difficult people.

But Jesus would never tell us to do something selfish. He wants us to understand that the goal is not to win the argument. The goal is to win the person. The goal is to find the person who is straying, who's prone to wander, and to invite them back. Jesus invites us to this ministry of reconciliation.

This passage calls us to humility and a broken heart for those who wander, not confrontation or escalation. True love motivates us to call others back to the right path and to partner with them discreetly in restoration. Even if they refuse, we continue to pray, always seeking their return. The main message is clear: pursue reconciliation with humility and love.