Confess Whose Sins?

by Frank P. Nickel

Some of the most profound lessons of life have been transmitted to us by our black brothers and sisters, in the form of songs composed during the slavery days, such as this one:

You can talk about me all that you please.
I’ll talk about you down on my knees.

Complaining about people to people is gossip. Complaining about people to God, privately, is intercession. We cannot do both. If we expect God to listen, we cannot gossip. Our prayers will go no higher than the ceiling.

One of the most hideous sins in the eyes of God is confessing the other fellow’s sins while he’s listening, unless, of course, he has asked you to help him pray about a problem sin.

This principle is very important in a marriage. A husband and wife must pray together, if they expect to have God’s blessing on their marriage. But each will need to pray privately as well, in order to affect necessary changes in his or her mate.

Probably your husband (or wife) does things that “bug” you. In fact, you may at times feel like “crawling up a wall.” Well, go right ahead. You may find a hidden spot on the rooftop where you can pray for him or her.

Originally printed in “The Pepper-Upper,” a small handout containing quotes, quips, jokes, poems, scripture, and brief inspirational thoughts which Frank compiled on a weekly basis. He often carried several copies in his pocket to share with church members, neighbors, and folks he encountered while going about his daily business.



Picture: depositphotos.com #85496982, standard license