The Guilty Helping The Guilty To Overcome Their Guilt!

Hebrews 5:2
He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.

The weak expect help from the stronger. The weak do not expect help from their fellow weak men and women. The weak cannot help the weak because they are in the same predicament. Yet God in His formula chose that the weak will help the weak.

The priest represents people before God. The priest handles the holy business of God. The priest helps people overcome the guilt of sin and get forgiveness from God. Yet that priest is as guilty of sin as the people he is helping to overcome sin. It is a case of the weak helping the weak. The guilty helping the guilty to overcome their guilt!

The writer of Hebrews in explaining the role of the priest tells us that God chose the priest from among weak people. Weak in the sense that they can’t help themselves overcome sin. Weak in the sense that they know the right things to do, but they do the wrong things. Weak in the sense that they keep repeating the same sins. Weak in the sense that they sin intentionally. God chose the priest to help these people since he himself is subject to weakness.

Hebrews 5:3. God knew this and therefore asked the priest to first offer sacrifices for himself before helping others. The priest by first making his own sacrifice was acknowledging that he is as guilty as those he is about to help. The guilty helping the guilty to overcome their guilt!

Why did God choose the guilty to help the guilty? Our text today tells us that so that he is able to deal gently with the guilty. God expects us who are leading others to be sympathetic because we are as foolish as them. Because we are as guilty as them. Because we are as ungrateful as them. Because we are as biased as them. A leader should be sympathetic. The guilty helping the guilty to overcome their guilt!

We are required to deal with people in a manner that shows that we are as guilty as them. We should deal with people with the understanding that we are exactly like them. We should not forget that if tables turned, we would see and say things as they now do. Leaders should be sympathetic. The guilty helping the guilty to overcome their guilt!

Do you have to discipline someone? Do not take the attitude and approach that you would never do such a thing. God chose you at such a time as this because you are guilty of the same mistake or have the potential to do the same thing. You were chosen to lead that person because you are as guilty as that person, as weak as that person, and would do the same thing that person did. The guilty helping the guilty to overcome their guilt!

God says He chose you who is as weak as those under you so that you can deal gently with them. Are you gentle with those who steal? Are you gentle with the sexually immoral? Are you gentle with those who misappropriate funds? Are you gentle with latecomers? Are you gentle with slow learners? Are you gentle with the lazy? Are you gentle with those who are not loyal? God chose you to be gentle with them since the all-knowing God, knows you are equally guilty. Those in glass houses don’t throw stones. Are you gentle?

May God help us to know that gentleness is not condoning sin but treating the sinner with respect and decorum. Letting the sinner follow the due process. Gentleness means you give the benefit of the doubt and decide to err on the side of being merciful. May God help us never forget that we are as weak as those we think are wicked and guilty. May gentleness, mercifulness, and forgiveness be our portion, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

May God help us to know that gentleness is not condoning sin but treating the sinner with respect and decorum. Letting the sinner follow the due process. Gentleness means you give the benefit of the doubt and decide to err on the side of being merciful. May God help us never forget that we are as weak as those we think are wicked and guilty. May gentleness, mercifulness, and forgiveness be our portion, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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