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Excellence is wanted, but who will be Excellent?

“Be Excellent to each other.” I’m just going to get the quote from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, out of the way, just so it stops distracting me. 🙂

Everybody wants Excellence, but who is willing to be Excellent?
This is one of those thoughts, that just came to me. (This is the true starting point of this post.)

Another version of the thought, could read, “Everybody wants the Best, from everyone else, but who is willing to give their Best?”

To be Excellent, or to give your Best, can be a tough thing to do.
Is this because we kind of know, that we are unlikely to receive the Best, or Excellence, from others?

I dare say that most people can see how this can go.
We may want to be Excellent, or give our Best, but life, can just kind of knock it out of us. 😦

If we do give our Best, but then find that others just take advantage of us and our good intensions, then how long will we keep on giving our best?
How long can we keep being Excellent, when others tend to not be so excellent???

The bible has something to say about this.

1 Peter 1:14-16
14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Leviticus 19:1-2
19 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

It appears to be clear, that the Bible has a call, to be holy (or Excellent) first. 🙂

Knowing that Our God is is calling us to do, and be the best that we can be, then can that be of any help to us?

If Our Lord God is calling us to be the Best that we can be, then surely, He will be there with us, in order to help us to be, the Best that we can be. So, what help can we draw upon?

Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The words of a song, has just come to me, as I’m writing this…

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. We will wait upon the Lord. We will wait upon the Lord.

For those of us, who do want to follow the call of Our Heavenly Father, to be Holy, there is also a source of strength and help, to do what He is asking of us. We just need to tap into, or better still, make and keep, a strong connection with Him.

Philippians 1:6

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

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It’s OK, I’ve got my card.

This weeks post is a testimony that I heard recently.

A husband and wife, were out together one day. The husband then asked, “Shall we stop off for a tea?”

The wife replied, “But I don’t have any money with me.”

The husband replied, “It’s ok, I’ve got my card with me.”

The wife, just accepted this, and they then started to make their way to a cafe.

On the way to the cafe, the husband asked, “When I said that I have my card with me, did you believe me?”

“Of course I did. You are my husband and I trust you.” Answered the wife, a little confused.

The husband then went onto say, “God tells us that He has many good gifts for us. How much do we believe that this is so? Do you believe that God has many good gifts for us, and that He wants to share these gifts with us, in the same way that you trusted that I had my card with me and that I would pay for the tea?”

______________________

God does indeed have many good gifts for us. Do we actually believe this to be so? How willing are we to accept His gifts to us?

James 1:17

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

John 4:10

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

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I Actually did, ….?

What I did was so small, that I’m questioning my sanity by trying to write about it. But here it goes??? 🙂

My wife and I were at a churches together carol singing event on our high street. It was a good time. A few people stopped and seemed to enjoy it.

At one point, I noticed that a child of someone who I know was sitting on the cold floor.

I knew the floor was cold, as I could feel it through my shoes. Some of the singers were standing on carpet mats, and part of me wanted one for myself. But I was actually ok, and I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I just put up with the cold.

As I looked at the child, sitting on the floor, something inside me said, “It’s not right, that the child is sitting on the cold floor. There are plenty of carpet mats over there. Somebody, Give the child a Mat!”

I looked and hoped that someone else would notice what I had, and would actually give the child, a mat to sit on.

But, nobody else appeared to even be aware of the situation.

Then something inside me said, “You, why don’t you, just Give the child a Mat?”

I don’t like standing out. I don’t generally like to make a fuss. I was already putting up with the cold, because I didn’t want to make a fuss. And now, I’m supposed to go and pick up a mat, then walk over to the child, in front of everyone, and offer a mat to a child, who I don’t really know (although I do know their parents) even though it hasn’t even been asked for? To top this all off, it was happening during a talking part, so I would be standing out, all the more.

The something inside me won, this time, and I went and picked up the mat, then walked behind as many people as I could, and made my way to the child. Without saying a word, I just placed the mat on the floor, by the child.
Thankfully, the child understood what was being offered, and without any fuss, just accepted the mat, and sat on it. I then quietly went back to my place of safety and comfort.

I did tell you it was a very small thing. 🙂

I have to say that I was so pleased that, I had actually followed the thought I had, “to just do it”. The Joy that was in me (I think that is the best way to describe it) went off the scale, to just see the child sitting on a mat, instead of the floor.

My thoughts have since gone to, A gift has been given, and a gift has been accepted. It’s so simple, really.
Also, the gift was made available, because the gift giver said, “OK, I’ll just do this little thing.”

The gift, in this instance, was just a mat to sit on, but at this Christmas time, another gift is freely made available to ALL!
But will it be accepted?
Will it even be offered?

If you are asked to do or say something, from Our Lord God, and you know that it’s from Him, then will you do or say, what He wants you to?
If you do, then will you have a measure of Joy, that makes no sense?

If you are offered a gift, then will you accept it?

The gift of the mat could have been refused. “No thank you. I’m OK on this cold floor. I don’t need or want the mat that is being offered.” Could have been the response. But thankfully it wasn’t.

At this time of Christmas, the gift of a relationship with The Lord God Almighty, is offered!
Will you accept it?
It’s so simple, really. All we need to do, is to say, “Yes please, I would like to know You, personally, Lord God Almighty.”

So, at this Christmas time, will you let the reason for the season in?
Will you say yes, to The Lord God Almighty?

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Do I miss, What The Cross was, for Jesus?

Last week I shared a thought about Jesus’s last words. I feel that there was so much that I didn’t say, so this week is a continuation of last week’s post.

Brief summary of last week’s post.
Was Jesus’s last words, a source of strength and a vision for what He was doing?

A marathon runner may well understand what “The Wall” is better than me. I’ve heard that it is a point when your body effectively says, “No more, this is where you stop!” To overcome this point, it takes a sheer force of will, to overcome what the body wants to do. Which is to stop.

Running a marathon, is but a gentle walk in the park, when compared to the path that Jesus walked, in going to, and remaining on the cross. So I think that I’m on safe ground to say that Jesus, would have had to face His own “Wall”, during His crucifixion.

How do you overcome “The Wall” then?

For a marathon runner, having their eyes fixed on the finishing line, can make a big difference!
A vision of where they want to be.
A vision of where, they Will Get TO!
A vision of what it is, that they want to achieve.

Again, I think that I’m on safe ground to say that Jesus, would have had a vision of what He was endeavouring to achieve, whilst He was walking the path, laid out in front of Him, on the day that He willingly went to the cross. He even spoke His vision out, on the cross with His last words. Tetelestai. (It is finished, complete, paid in Full!)

We know that Jesus didn’t want to go to the cross, as we can read..

Matthew 26:37-39
37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Luke 22:40-44
40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Was this time, in the garden of Gethsemane, one of the walls that Jesus had to overcome?

We can see something of how Jesus overcame these walls in…

Hebrews 12:2
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus endured the cross, willingly, for the Joy, that He knew was coming.

This is where I can start to overlook all the pain and suffering that Jesus went through. It was for Joy, that Jesus endured all that pain and suffering, after all, and that price has now been paid.
So we can now rejoice with Him, for all that He has done, can’t we?

Well, Yes we can!
Because Jesus Has paid the price. But, it was a Heavy price to pay, which I think that, sometimes (or most times), I just don’t get.
We even have a song with this very thought included in it. (From, Here I am to worship.)

I’ll never know
How much it cost
To see my sin
Upon that cross

I’m thinking that I’m just starting to get a glimpse of how bad it was, by seeing that Jesus, was possibly saying ‘Tetelestai” (It is finished, complete, paid in Full!) as a source of strengthening, so that He could focus on the Joy that was coming, once the price had been paid.

As much Jesus’s final words was a statement of victory over sin and death, how much were they a vision of what he was achieving, so that He could and would, stay the course?

It was a choice for Jesus to willingly go to, and to remain on the cross. Jesus had disciples who were willing to, and tried to, fight for Jesus, as seen in..

Luke 22:49-51
49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

There really is no question that Jesus went willingly to the cross. He told His disciples not to fight, and even healed one who had come to take Him away.

I find it a bit (or a lot) ironic that Jesus even gives a demonstration of His Power and Authority, by healing one of those, who came to arrest Him.

Jesus went willingly to the cross. Knowing the pain and suffering that He was to face.

With regards to remaining on the cross.
How many Heavenly beings were just waiting for a word to step in and free Jesus from the torture of the cross?
How quickly could Jesus have set Himself free, if He was to choose to?
Jesus is fully God as well as being fully man. He had the power to release Himself, if He had chosen to. But,”For the joy set before him he endured the cross”.

If there was any other way for the price to be paid, then I’m pretty sure that it would have been taken. How many Heavenly beings would have gladly paid the price, so that Jesus wouldn’t have to?
But Revelation 5 tells us.

Revelation 5:1-6
5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Jesus was the only one who could pay the price, and we all, who accept and invite Him into our hearts and lives, now benefit from the price, that He paid, as heavy and tough, as it was.

The final thoughts for this post, are going to, if we can start to grasp, just how much of a price, was paid for us, then could we start to be more willing to say “Yes” to Him, who paid such a high price for us?
Could we try to stop looking for and finding or making reasons, to say no to Him. Could we in fact, try to open our hearts up to Him, who is Worthy of All Honour, Glory and Praise.

Revelation 3:20
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

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Was saying, Tetelestai, part of how Jesus endured the cross?

Sometimes, I’ll have thoughts, and just think, “Yes, this rings soo true!” But then I’ll look at it again, and think, “Was I just getting carried away with myself?” This partly falls into this category (though, the more I look at this, the more it rings true for me), but I do think that there is something here. So I’ll post this, and leave it up to you, and Our Lord God, to see if it rings true. (I do pray, that God will open this up to you, in a similar way, to which He has opened it up to me.)

Jesus’s last words on the cross are well know.

John 19:28-30
The Death of Jesus

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

I have heard and read that the word Jesus spoke was, “Tetelestai”.
The short version of what Tetelestai means is, it is finished, paid in full, complete, nothing more to do.
If you would like to have the long version, then do a web search, and I’m sure that you will find a better explaintaion than what I can give here.
Hopefully a basic understanding of the word, will be enough to understand where I’m going with this today.

I heard a sermon recently, where it was said that the disciples who were at the cross, could hear Jesus saying over and over again, the word, “Tetelestai”.
I don’t know if this is true or not, but it started in me, a thought process, that then revealed a something to me, which I’m about to share.

Was Jesus saying to Himself, “Tetelestai, Tetelestai, Tetelestai,” over and over, as He hung on the cross?
When He made His final statement of, “Tetelestai”, was He then making known, His thoughts, that He had been focusing on?

It is well documented that “Tetelestai”, was a statement of “Victory!” (From web searches.) We even have…

1 Corinthians 15:55-57
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So it accepted that the word was a statement of Victory, but, was the word, “Tetelestai”, also a source of strenght and encouragment to Jesus?

The cross was Victory, but it was also pain and suffering, for Jesus, which He endured, for a Greater Good!
The redemption of all mankind.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

It Was Victory, on the cross, but the pain and suffering, was also, very real for Jesus.
I think that sometimes, that part can be lost on me. I can sort of, just see past it… to the Victory.

But, for Jesus, the experience was very much so real. Which leads me to the thought of, “How did He endure it?”
Was repeating “Tetelestai”, part of how He endured it?

Proverbs 29:18 (King James Version)
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Through out the Bible, we are told time and time again, to remember what God has done for us.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

As Jesus endured the cross, could this be what Jesus was doing? (If He was repeating to Himself, “Tetelestai”)

Could it be that Jesus was declaring His Victory to all, as well as speaking strength to Himself, by declaring to Himself, “Tetelestai (It is/will be finished, complete, paid in full.)? Instead of having His focus on what He was going through, could it be that He was choosing to focus on what He was achieving by repeating to Himself, “Tetelestai (It is/will be finished, complete, paid in full.)”?

If the answer is yes, then is this a further lesson, by example, of how to deal with or go through a tough time?

If anyone is going through a tough time, then could having a vision for a greater purpose, be a source of strength and encouragement?

If we are going through a tough time, then what do we focus on?
The hardship? …
Or can we shift our focus onto something else?
The purpose? (If we know one?)
The Answer?
A word of encourgement?
Help from a higher source? (Our Lord God Has The Highest Honour and IS The Highest Power!)

Can we try to do as Jesus did, and focus on what matters more, rather than what we are experiencing?

____________________

There is a direct follow up post to this one. Please, do consider having a read of that one, also. It is,

Do I miss, What the Cross was, for Jesus?

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Who wants More!! ??

The answer to this week’s post might vary, depending on what is being offered.

How about, more of a Greater Revelation of Our Lord God?

For those of us who are shouting out a resounding “Yes!”, another question is making itself known to me.
Are you “Able” to handle more?

If you are like me, then you might be saying, “Yes, I desire more of You, Lord God. I want to step into more of what You have for me.” ….
But, how able am I …. to handle more???

How has my Delivery Service been, with that, which has already been given to me?

With the truth that has been given to me, have I just been throwing it straight into people’s faces?
If that truth is like a hot cup of tea, and if I’ve just been throwing it about, then just how much more, should I be given?
I may want an entire urn of tea, but if all I’m doing is throwing it all around, then would that be such a good idea?

I may want More of the Truth, but can I handle more of The Truth?

I’m just going to say it. 🙂
The words from a movie just keeps going round my head as I’m pondering this…

“I WANT THE TRUTH!”
“YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”

(From the court room scene of, A Few Good Men.)

I’d like to be able to handle the truth though.

I wouldn’t like to think that all I can be trusted with are a few drops of tea, because I can’t even be trusted, with a full cup of tea?
A few drops of tea in a cup being thrown around, is going to be so much better, than a full cup of tea, being thrown around.

If we do really want more, then are we willing to take a look at our Delivery Service?
Are we willing to listen to Our Lord God’s instructions, for how to handle, what we have been given?
Will we speak up, when we are asked to speak up?
Will we keep quiet, when we are asked or told to be quiet?
Will we speak His Words, when they are given to us, or will we prefer our own words, thinking that we know what it is that we want to say? (His words will actually be better.)

Will we be willing to just place our cups of tea onto the ground, (if directed to) knowing full well that they may, just be kicked over?
Will we place them onto the ground, and leave the responsibility of what happens to them, to Our Lord God Almighty?

How much do we need to learn, before we are able to be trusted with more?

Are we willing to listen to Our Lord God, for the lessons that we need to hear?

Will we not stop at just listening to the lessons, but also implement them, and do what is being asked of us?

If we really do want more of what Our Lord God has for us, then will we truly engage in the process, and walk the path that He leads us along?

Matthew 13:10-15

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

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Can we have a Better Delivery Service?

I recently finished a post, (link to post here) with the effective thoughts of, “What light do we bring, a harsh and intense light that makes people flee? Or do we bring a gentle illumination, that shows a better path to take?”

In this post, I’m pondering on the thought of, “How can we have a better delivery service, so that our light can be less scary, and more inviting?”

Can we gently present or hand over, the truth that we know, instead of just throwing it around?
A hot cup of tea, is better, if it is handed over, instead of being thrown around. 🙂

So, how can we do better?

Jesus didn’t shy away from presenting the truth, even when people were trying to trap him. One occasion comes to mind, when Jesus was asked…

Matthew 22:17
17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

Please, be under no illusion, this question was a trap!

If Jesus said “Yes”, then people could say, “This man is telling us to pay taxes to our enemy, how can we follow such a man?”
If Jesus said, “No”, then Jesus could be in trouble for inciting the people to rebel against the Romans.
It was, on the face of it, a no win question to answer.
But Jesus, being God, knew the intent of the question, and had an answer for them.

He asked for a coin, and then asked…

Matthew 22:20-22
20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

Jesus gave an unpopular truth, that taxes need to be paid, but He delivered it, in such a way, that the people could accept the message, without being upset with the message giver.

Jesus answered the question, but in a way, that was not expected.
He gave the answer to the question, but not in the way that the question giver, wanted it to be answered.
Can we do likewise?

One technique that I have found to be useful, is to try to de-personalise my answers.

If I say, “I believe that ….” and then make a statement of what I believe, then, in some circumstances, what I say, can be twisted, and used against me. 😦

But, if I try to change what I say, ever so slightly to, “I believe what the Bible teaches, and the Bible tells me that …. , which I do believe, and I try to follow.”
Using this technique, can take away some, or a lot of the ability for my words to be twisted around so easily.

I can still be saying almost the exact same thing, but the difference is, that I’m no longer just saying, “This is what “I” believe!”
But I am now effectively saying, “My God tells me this, and I believe what my God tells me, if you don’t like it, then take it up with my God, for He is where I look to, for what I believe.”
(No, I don’t actually state them words, but the underlying thought can kind of come through. 🙂 )

Needless to say, this works so much better, if my thinking is in line with what the Bible says. 🙂

It may sound like a simple technique, and in some respects, it is, but there can be a need to be determined to stay the course.

I was having a discussion at work, when I was asked, “And what do you think about this then?”
In my answer, I tried to use the, “and the Bible says… ” technique.
But then I was asked, “But what do you believe, (or think)?”
My answer to that, was just to restate, what the Bible says.
The conversation went back and forth a couple of times, along the same lines, before my friend finally concluded, “OK, that’s what you believe then.”

I think that it was kind of racked up as a win for me … ???
But why did it take so many tries, before it was accepted as, “I believe the Bible, and the Bible teaches that …” ?
Was it because they wanted me to say, “I believe …”, which they were then possibly wanting to twist round to …. ?

I find that this technique, works best, if it can be done in a light handed way, with a smile. 🙂
Remember, the method of delivery matters.

Standing over someone, with a megaphone and stating as loudly as possible,
“THUS SAITH THE LORD …”
Really doesn’t have the same effect. 🙂
(As I may have done, in the past, with me being a little bit over excited. 😦 )

I dare say that there are many other ways, in which we can improve our delivery method.
Being tuned into, and hearing what Our Heavenly Father is speaking to us at any time, is always going to be the best trump card to play. 🙂

Hopefully we won’t be facing arrest or prison for what we say, but I do think that the verse below. is the last word on the topic. 🙂

Mark 13:11
11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

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Are we on the Right Track?

These are some thoughts that came to me recently.

Are we on the right track?

All the tracks may appear to be very close at the present moment, but is that because we are at a junction point?

Will all the tracks go off in very different directions?
Are we on the right track?
Do we need to make a small adjustment, now, so that where we head off to changes?

Will we be pleased with the track we are on, or change to?
Does it even mater if we are pleased with our choice of track?
Where does Our Lord God want, for us to be?

Will we follow His guidance, for where we should be?
Will we trust Him, for the way that we should go?

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

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Can our Answers be, Not so Judgemental?

If we are asked an offensive question, are we able to answer it, in the least offensive way?

A scenario has been running through my head recently. It goes…

You are at church, and after the service, an individual, who is wearing pro LGBT attire, approaches you, and then asks, “Would your church, allow a same sex marriage to take place here?”

Did you take a sharp intake of breath, at reading the scenario?
If you did, I hope that it wasn’t an offensive sharp intake of breath ….??? 🙂

I do hope that I haven’t caused any offence by just writing the scenario (or the comment that followed). But in our modern day society, such a question, could possibly be asked, at some point, by somebody.

How would you answer such a question, if you were ever to be asked something like it?

Would you fall into the trap of, “Well, I/we believe that, …..” and then go into a preaching session of just what you believe?
Possibly/probably causing an amount of offence, of a higher magnitude than you mean to, without realising or understanding the offence that you are causing? (I’ll leave it up to our Heavenly Father, to show what offence (if any) could be taken from such an answer. 🙂 )

When we look at the question that was posed, the answer should really be, one of three possible responses. “Yes”, “No”, or “I don’t know”. (The question was, effectively, a yes or no type of question.)
The response might sound slightly different or be a combination of two answers, such as. “I think not, but you could check with the leadership of the church.”

Unfortunately for those of us who believe what the bible says, we can hear the question that hasn’t, yet been asked, of “and why is that so?”

We can be all to quick to offer our opinions, even before they are asked for. Sometimes the “why do you believe that?” question, may quickly follow, but other times, it might not!
If we are going to offer our opinions and beliefs, then could we at least wait until they have been asked for?
I have probably made this mistake in the past myself. 😦

If we are asked the “Why”, then could we possibly try to temper our answers, by first asking something like, “Am I able to speak freely, as I feel that you might not like my answer?”
Sometimes this could be the right approach, but then other times, even doing that, could possibly cause an awkward moment???
Hearing what Our Lord God is speaking to us will be the best guide, for what to do.

If you feel that the question is loaded with all kinds of trouble, that you don’t know how to navigate, then you could try to use a further version of the “I don’t know answer”. Which could sound something like, “I’m not to sure of the answer to your question, but we could go and ask someone in the leadership team?”
Yes, I know, this response is a bit (or a lot) of passing the buck. But it is a valid response that could be used, if you feel that you are out of your depth with any question that you may be asked, at any time. The leadership team might not be too happy with you for passing the buck onto them. But they could be even more upset, if an answer is given, that then leads to a bigger confrontation, that follows any answer that is given by you?

Could part of the problem be, that we think we should be able to answer all or some questions, even if they are a little bit more tricky?
Can it be, that we know what we believe, but we can then struggle to share this, in a way that doesn’t cause offence?

I think that part of the problem for us who believe the Bible, is that we can know what the truth is, from the Bible, and as such, can want to share that truth, but in a way, that is a little bit to quick, and energetic.
If we are not careful, then can we end up sharing the truth that we know, in a way that causes pain and anguish, to others, with very little positive outcomes? 😦
A previous post of A Hot Cup of Tea, looks into this line of thinking further.

In our current day and age, we could be tempted to think, “Would I be better off to say nothing at all then?”

I do believe that this could also, very much so, be a mistake.

If we have a truth, but then fail to share that truth, then is the truth, effectively being hidden, by us, by not sharing that truth?

Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

From Jesus’s words, we can see that we are meant to bring a light to the world. Do we bring that light?
What kind of light do we bring?
A gentle light that brings illumination to the right path to take?
Or, do we bring a harsh and intense light, that people want to run and flee from?

Could that harsh and intense light be, us making judgments, and making those judgements known, even if we are doing it, without ever quite knowing that we are doing so?

If we are facing a difficult question or situation, then can we hear and follow what Our Lord God would want us to to say, or do, and as such bring a gentle light, that illuminates a better way to go?

_____________________________

Can we Judge, without Passing Judgement?

Blinded by the Light

A Hot Cup of Tea

To Conform or Not to Conform, that is the question?

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Try to not pick up the wrong end of the Stick.

Have you ever tried to pick up a red hot poker stick by the wrong end?

Hopefully, the answer to the above question is a resounding “no!” But how many times have we picked up the wrong end of something, for it to then cause some pain and damage of some kind?

It can be painful to pick anything up by the wrong end, but are we ever able to recognise, when we have done such a thing?

In the case of the red hot poker, it would be painful, from the moment that it was touched. Pain can influence our decisions, but unfortunately, in a bad way.

If we are finding ourselves in a painful situation, could it possibly be, because we have picked up a red hot poker, by the wrong end? If we have, then could we try to put it down and sooth our hand, before picking it up by the right end.

When held in the right way, it can be wielded in a better way, for a better purpose. That purpose could be to quench the heat, and then defuse a tense situation, that then leads to a more comfortable environment for all. The purpose could also possibly be to wield the red hot poker, in such a way, that brings about a positive change, that is good for all.

Whatever the true purpose of the red hot poker, we will never realise it, if we are holding onto it, by the wrong end. We could only end up experiencing the pain and anguish from doing such a thing. (Along with everyone else who comes near us.)

It will be so much better for all, if we can put the red hot poker down. Then sooth our hand, and try again. Only this time, pick it up, by the right end. 🙂

If we can’t pick it up by the right end, then would we be better to leave it on the ground, and wait for some instructions of what to do next? Or could we even just wait for someone else, who is better equipped to handle the red hot poker, to come along???

If we are finding ourselves at a loss, and not knowing what to do next, then could we seek Our Heavenly Father, and ask Him for His guidance and direction, for the way we should go? He is there, and able to lead and guide us, if we will seek Him, and His way to go.