What if you tried to fix more people in your life?

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I'm not a big fan of the phrase, “Stop fixing people.”

I get the meaning behind it: stop being so judgmental, stop thinking that you're so great because you can point out the flaws in others.

I believe in attacking that target! But I also think there's too much collateral damage.

  • I think it can lead to complacency, “I don't need to be concerned with who they are.”
  • I think it stops a behavior, but not the thoughts. “I think that person's a moron, but as long as I don't say anything, I'm doing my part.”

“Stop fixing people” isn't specific enough. We need to stop doing what we think will fix other people because it's not working. Have you ever grown spiritually because you felt the disapproval of someone you admire? That may work in sports, but right now we're talking about our souls.

Good parents fix their children. Good friends fix one another. Much of the spiritual health you have today came through people very close to you. God worked through those people to change your life.

Jesus said to take the plank out first, before you help the other person with their speck. He could have said to leave their spec alone. Jesus said not to throw pearls before pigs, we shouldn't say something if there's not a good chance of it being heard. The proverbs tell us that an offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city.

We can't give up on fixing one another. We need to become better at fixing one another. That means accepting one another, praying for one another, listening to one another, forgiving one another, helping one another, and when the time is right: to correct on another.

The task at hand isn't to stop fixing one another. We need to stop judging, disapproving. We need to stop pointing out all the flaws.

To fix people, we must relearn what it means to actually help one another grow closer to Christ. And if we following his example, we'll know what to day.

 

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  • http://ricknierwoo.blogspot.com Rick Nier

    I like it. We can put the focus on Jesus and still try to help people. So I guess we still have to get involved, huh? Well, there goes any hope of a peaceful week.

  • http://www.youthleadersacademy.com Rachel Blom

    Couldn’t agree more. Stop fixing people easily leads to the all-too-easy thought that we shouldn’t interfere in other people’s lives, even if what they’re doing is completely wrong. The Bible actually teaches us to interfere, to meddle in the affairs of our brothers and sisters…we just need to do it the right way, with love, compassion and without judgment. Great reminder, thanks!

  • http://gravatar.com/thesource4ym Jonathan McKee

    Great post Matt. Very intuitive. I think I would have been resistant to this kind of thinking because of the so many people who are BAD examples of fixers (I’m just thinking out loud here). But I guess that’s like not doing evangelism because of the obnoxious pushy evangelists out there. Thanks for the encouragement to “fix” our “fixing.” I love the part about taking the plank out first “before” you help the other person with the speck. Never even noticed that. Hmmmmmm.