Needed Follow-Up to Previous Post

I apologize for the delay in this post. I meant to write this shortly after my last post. Phew! Two weeks just flew by before I was able to get to writing a follow-up.

I hope some of the dust has settled and would like to extend a warm invitation to dialogue. If I write something you don't agree with or perhaps may even be challenged by I encourage you to contact me with some of your thoughts. For those who have already taken advantage of the opportunity, I thank you.

I've definitely received some feedback from my last post, which is the impetus for the additional clarification. My previous post was in regards to "outreach" which I would like to further define as "reaching out to those who do not reside in Dublin, NH."

Each one of us (including myself) has a check-list of what is important when speaking with a non-believer.  Whether we realize it or not, this check-list may color what we say or how we act towards a non-believer. Anyway, I felt the need to clarify what I was intending to speak about.

Secondly, and I guess I must have done this a little too effectively, I created a straw-man to beat to a pulp. Though, I believe my previous post may have shed some light on an attitude which comes across sometimes, it is by no means reflective of everyone, all the time. My thanks to those who so strenuously requested I clarify this point.

I only seek to ask that we recognize what our own personal preferences are and weigh those against the eternal benefit of another human being. I am also guilty of sometimes developing my own comfort bubble which can seriously impact how I greet or interact with someone I may not naturally feel comfortable around. This is certainly an area in which I wish to grow. As followers of Jesus we are called to "get outside of our box" no matter how comfortable we may have become.

Sweating the Small Stuff

Hello Friends,

I apologize for not posting this past weekend. I had the honor and privilege of representing my company at a local curriculum fair, at the end of which, I was worn out. Anyway, I'm glad to be back and writing again this weekend.

  So, in setting the stage for this post I want to give forewarning. This may turn into a straight up rant, but my hope is I articulate some specific points in the midst of my emotional splatter (bear in mind this is my own opinion and may be more emotionally charged than other posts I present) which will serve to challenge and motivate you to recognize and evaluate what is important within the sphere of outreach. Additionally, I want to say I'm not against taking a stance on an issue, or holding to your own set of beliefs, both of which I believe to be necessary in our current world, but I sincerely believe as followers of Jesus we must establish a balance between things which really matter, and those which do not (or things we really should let go of). Let's begin.

I'm grieved, angered, upset, bothered, saddened, and bugged by an interaction I was recently made aware of where a fellow follower of Jesus chose to elevate the issue of what someone was wearing, over seeking to minister to the heart of the individual. Put bluntly, what you are wearing really doesn't matter! This is a trend I am becoming increasingly aware of within my own church organization and it grieves me deeply. A trend where we have firmly established what we feel is important, and we are willing to die on that standard, rather than ministering the love of Jesus out to a world which may not look the way we think they should, or a world which may make us feel uncomfortable because they look different than we do.

Unfortunately, I believe this attitude exhibited is one of pride. It says, I think I know what God has in mind for you and therefore you should listen to how I think you should change as you mature in your relationship with Jesus. Newsflash--it is not my job, nor your job to change people in their walk with Jesus. If I'm not mistaken, last time I checked that role belongs very firmly to the Holy Spirit, and He is quite capable of gently changing and reworking whatever He feels needs to shift.

I was personally convicted of my own attitude towards others in this regard when I recently listened to a sermon on Romans 15:7 which says:

 "Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God."

Let me break down some thoughts for you on what acceptance entails. Acceptance means releasing any agenda or set of expectations you might have for the individual. It is not up to you to change the individual, or make sure they are open to what God has in mind for them. If they are a follower of Jesus, they will be just fine. If they're not, then talking to them about what they're wearing, how many piercings they have, the tattoos on their arms, or any other outward appearance may damage their interest in learning more about God. Acceptance means you may get hurt by that person, and at the end of the day, you're secure enough in your own relationship with Jesus to recognize there are much deeper issues than their outward appearance. If you're not able to let that go, you're sweating the small stuff, and I hope this acts as a smack in the face to reconsider what you've established as important in your own spiritual judgment of others.

If we are intent on outreach, from the grounds of Dublin, NH, then this must change! Outreach means you welcome people in, regardless of how they look. We're not out to manufacture change in their lives. Back-off, let the Holy Spirit work, and don't sweat the small stuff.

(additional rants on other aspects we need to let go may follow)