AUTHOR: Robin Dugall
DATE: 9:52:00 PM
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BODY:
Every so often, you have to encourage a friend who has taken risks and felt the cold fingers of condemnation. Those risks can be calculated...ones borne out of the passions of their heart...they can be made with sound judgment or faithful anticipation...sometime, we have to admit, some risks are taken because of shortsightedness or immaturity. In my boook, that last reason is the exception for a majority of people that I know and respect. But here's reality - MOST people I know that have taken risks through speaking, teaching, writing, or acting in a bold manner, even with the best of intentions, eventually experience the piercing of a word of attack or judgment. It seems like recently, at least over the past few months, God has given me opportunity to encourage some brothers and sisters who have been subversive as Christ-followers in many spheres...many of them have paid prices through personal shots that have attempted to brand them as heretics, pagans, or worse. In all of these instances, I've taken comfort in knowing that Jesus said that He did not come to always bring peace but that the truth of living in the flow of the Kingdom would often illicit negative emotion and reaction. I've found reason to exhort my friends and remind them of that truth as well as comfort them with words and actions of support. Well, the tides have turned on me. Last night in the middle of the night at my office phone came a voice of condemnation. Now understand, I wasn't at the office...fact is, that would have made it easier. I would have heard the initial words and promptly hung up the phone. But this message lasted a long time...it filled the computer chip that is conveniently stationed in the phone system of the University to record voice messages for faculty and staff. It lasted about two full minutes...every word was a harsh word...every word was accusatory and full of hate...every word was taken directly from the words of the prophets of the Old Testament or from the book of Revelation. The individual didn't identify themselves...didn't say why they were calling in the middle of the night to bring me this "loving" word from God. All I know is that the message was a clear reminder of the harshness of people who supposedly share the same journey that we share in following the Lord of Life. You need to know, this isn't the first time I've received words like this by phone, email or regular mail. But I haven't received a message like this for some time...it shook me a bit...fortunately, I remembered that section in Ephesians about the nature of community where words are shared not with personal agendas but with the purpose of giving grace to those who hear. The interesting thing about the blogsphere and email is that personal information is available to more people than we could ever know on a personal basis. Email addresses and contact information is available to anyone who can make their way around a keyboard with a bit of persistence and computer savey. Let me put it this way...the gavel is dropping more and more on people who are attempting to follow Jesus in fresh and faithful ways. When a perceived threat to the status quo or to strategies that have merited some level of cultural success is experienced or when dominant philosophies are intelligently questioned, many will not enter into fellowship but pick up the stones looking with earnest for the first person at which to cast. Come on...can't we as Christ-followers enter into relationship with each other without bringing the security gavel? I think it is going to be very interesting as we journey into the Kingdom that will last forever to take a look around at all the people we took shots at, or put down, or gossiped about, or slandered. I think it is going to be very humbling to know that with every word, we have brought a hurt or a fear to the heart of one for whom Jesus died. What's really going to be interesting is realizing that not only are we doing the wondering but that there will be many who will be thinking about the same thing about us. There's only ONE who has the right to hold the gavel and friend, it isn't you! Lay it down! Pick up the gifts of encouragement! Take up the words of love! As all our grandma's used to say, "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". God will hold everyone accountable. If we dare to pick up words to share with another through challenge and accountability, we better use those words carefully, skillfully and with an attitude of humility and submissiveness to the one who heard every harsh word and said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do".
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COMMENT-AUTHOR:
COMMENT-DATE:1:53 PM
COMMENT-BODY:r, you are a man that is living by Christ's example. you shower those who know you with encouragement, support and most importantly, prayer. i see God's hand in your life and your submission to his will is obvious.
you are truly a man to look up to. you lead by example, you put priority on things of the Kingdom and you speak God's wisdom.
continue to put on the armour of the Spirit to protect yourself from the firey darts of the enemy, because that voicemail was exactly that.
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COMMENT-DATE:1:53 PM
COMMENT-BODY:r, you are a man that is living by Christ's example. you shower those who know you with encouragement, support and most importantly, prayer. i see God's hand in your life and your submission to his will is obvious.