Between You and Him Alone

Matthew 18:15

NKJV

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

Previously, I had understood going to your brother as an optional part of this verse. I believed that if I forgave them their fault against me, I wouldn't need to confront them about it. However, upon closer reading, that's the exact opposite of the truth. Jesus isn’t asking me to go, He is telling me to go. Go and tell him. Looking back there are many times I had lived out the prior understanding, and not confronting the brother for his sin. I often dont feel its my place to confront others for their sins against me, yet Jesus has put it in plain black and white that I am called to. I have the responsibility to go to that brother now, in love, to identify his sin against me and make right was has been wronged. Whether or not he receives my words in the conversation is not mine to guarantee, but in this same passage it does call me to keep trying by bringing witness of others, from two or three to then the church. However, if I still have yet to gain my brother, I am to count him as a Gentile or tax collector. I’m not to stop loving them and seeking for them to repent though. In the end, I am taking account before God for the love I poured out and my dedication to being a disciple of Christ, not necessarily the number of brothers who were gained. God didn't set a required number of souls for me to be brought in heaven, though I’m called to win as many as possible. As I’m to reflect the heart of God, I should seek to be a good shepherd and leave the ninety nine to save the one. The one in this context is my brother. Will I leave the ninety-nine to save the one?