Right after Jesus talks about leaving your offering behind and being reconciled first with your brother/sister (Matthew 5:23-24), he says: “Settle matters QUICKLY with your adversary who is taking you to court.”

The Greek word “tachu” which is translated “quickly” carries a sense of urgency with it. Do it now. Without delay. Immediately.

One of the reasons why Jesus wants us to deal with offense right away is explained in Hebrews 12:14-15: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

He wants no bitter root to grow in us.

Has this ever happened in your garden? When you see a small weed sprouting up, if you remove it right away, it’s an easy task. Leave it in for any length of time, now you’re dealing with a deep root and it becomes quite a chore to pull it out.

When offense is left unattended in the soil of our hearts, it can turn into a bitter root that is not only difficult to remove, but it also ends up poisoning our spirit with bitterness.

Earlier this year, we released a DWOD which amplifies this truth. Would you kindly take 5 minutes to (re-) read it and follow the prescription given there to get rid of the bitter root?

It will go a long way toward helping you experience at.one.ment with one another.