“My Mother’s Children Were Angry With Me” (Song 1:6)

 

“Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun has looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard have I not kept” (vs6)

We can be hateful to one another, hard, and unforgiving.  I’m not saying everyone who claims Christ is saved; I’m saying that believers do wickedness and other believers are quick to judge, criticize, wound, and reveal their faults unto others - “Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother“ (Matt 18:15).  Do not fault find and gossip, but know this is part of your life of faith. All who love God won’t love you, and some who love God will speak evilly of you, and you will give them occasion by your failures, “my own vineyard have I not kept… I am black, because the sun has looked upon me“, and trials have wore me down, temptations, now failures. This is par for the course and can’t be denied. We press on to Christ BECAUSE of the heat of the day; it doesn’t make us quit.

Love your brothers, but don’t expect them to love you in return so perfectly. Improve yourself, but don’t forget to FORGIVE and talk to brethren who err against you - “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a fault against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you” (Col 3:12-13).  Be guiltless of transgressions, even when others are guilty of fault-finding and gossip.  Be like Christ, and don’t be distracted when godly people have no compassion.  You too have despised others, been proud, and said in yourself, “I’m not like that…I’d never do such” - “Also, take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you: for oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others“ (Eccl 7:21-22). Well, you would and you do such the like, in your own way of sin.  Therefore, FORGIVE and give no offense in your behavior, and be not distracted when you are RIGHTFULLY rebuked and have done enough evil to cause people to doubt you.  Live better now.