Thursday, September 24, 2026

Bible in a Year Reading Plan: Ezekiel 4-6 | 2 Timothy 3

Mahatma Gandhi popularized the modern day phrase, “hate the sin, love the sinner” in his 1929 autobiography. The apostle Paul pleads this very message to fellow believers in Galatians 6, and it extends to all believers today.   

Paul’s teaching is a call of grace and compassion that should precede any temptation to judge, condemn, or speak out against a believer who has been overcome by sin. Being overcome by sin doesn't mean that someone is stuck in a pattern of unhealthy behavior. Instead, the patterns have been stumbled upon - it's a choice someone made without intending to do something wrong. Such sin isn't pre-meditated, intentional, or a permanent state of being, but one that catches us off guard and one that should lead to personal conviction and repentance.   

As a former police communications specialist, I’ve spoken to thousands of people with complaints regarding the sins, violations, and misconduct of others. It was mind boggling to hear the intense eagerness to point out someone else’s wrongdoing, often with little or no evidence. In our haste to accuse, we fail to stop and consider the person and our relationship with them. Our focus gets so muddied by blame and hypocrisy that we fail to lead with truth, compassion, and love.  

Galatians 6:1
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

Paul instructs believers to gently and humbly help people when they are overcome by sin. There also may be times we need to accept the correction of others when we are the ones who find themselves overcome by sin.

This is a reminder of the love God extends to us everyday. This love is most inviting when we’re the receivers of it, but we’re less likely to put on our “love lenses” when our eyes are fixed on the sins of others. Rather than listing everything that's wrong, focus on what truly matters: our relationships with one another. This perspective helps shift the conversation from accusation to understanding. 

Let’s allow our love for one another to be louder than our voices against each other and more visible than the sin we see in one another.     

Questions: 
How do you view others who are overcome by sin?

How do you view yourself when you’re overcome by sin?  

Are they the same?

Next Steps: 
Seek out ways to encourage others who may be overcome by sin by reading Proverbs 15:1-4 and Galatians 6:10.     

Prayer: 
Lord, help us to see others as you see us. Help us to love, encourage, and actively listen to one another, even in the midst of sin's grip. Your word makes our crooked places straight, and your light brightens the darkness of sin that sometimes seeks to consume us. May your love soften our hearts, sweeten our words, bridge the gaps, and bring light and truth to our paths. Thank you for looking beyond our faults and seeing our needs. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 

Written by Andrea Moore, a new DreamTeam member and contributor to the Daily Devotional.