The Knock I Didn’t Expect
Last Tuesday, September 9, in the middle of a Zoom meeting with fellow pastors, I heard a knock at the glass door of our sanctuary entrance. I motioned to the man outside to return later, but when he came back, I stepped out and welcomed him into the pastor’s office to hear what brought him to our church on a weekday. He wasn’t there for spiritual counsel in the usual sense. Instead, he hoped our security camera facing the Glenn Abbey parking lot had captured something important. His Harley Davidson motorbike had been moved by others, causing damage. To make matters worse, the parking space he had vacated was taken by a vehicle doing business with Glenn Abbey.
Looking unsettled, he asked me, “Pastor, what would you do if you were in my shoes?” I sensed he was not only seeking video evidence but also moral clarity—perhaps validation that his pursuit of justice was fair. He described the incident as a violation of his rights and believed reparation was owed. A confrontation with a suspected culprit had already ended in denial, leaving him frustrated. I shared with him the principle Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 18: when someone sins against you, begin with personal confrontation. If the matter is resolved, forgiveness should follow, “just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). If the other party denies responsibility, bring along a witness or someone in authority from the workplace or community. And if the conflict still remains unresolved, the next step is to seek due process through proper grievance channels or civil authorities.
This is not about avoiding justice but about pursuing it in a way that honors Christ. Too often, we forget this biblical path and resort to responses that only deepen division. Jesus taught that our unity—in spirit and in truth—is the witness that shows the world we belong to Him (John 17:20–23).
Before he left, I asked if I could pray with him. I prayed for wisdom, peace, and an amicable settlement. Moments like these remind me that pastoral ministry often happens not only in pulpits or programs but in unexpected knocks at the office door—where faith meets real-life struggles, and where Jesus’ words still point us to the clearest path forward.
-Pastor Lim
