I Hope You Need It, Too
Words matter.... in person and on paper.
Words matter. Even on social networking where we can opt for saying whatever comes to our minds (backed by lots of cheerleading, and cushioned by the ease of minimal immediate repercussions).
But hurt people hurt people.
And the "least of these" is very easily all of us on any given day.
We forget that last part, I think.
We forget that it's only by God's grace that any of us can lift our heads to type anything.
We forget that the One who "made mouths" thought it worthy to even give us one...
And as a result of such forgetting, we misuse our gift right and left.
So I ask, do we truly want to expend that God-given grace launching assaults and criticism on those just trying to get through life on this side of heaven in one piece, too?
Do we really want to reek of chaos when we were created for the consuming aroma of grace?
May we think - maybe even pray- before we assume, judge, or look down on another.
Chances are if we take it to the prayer level, judging won't ever take place ... because we will find too much compassion there.
We will find love so great that we cannot go down in the flames of the one that hates our souls enough to put us in places of emotional contention with one another.
We will see Jeremiah 29:11 plans for lives beyond our own. Never seeking to show how "bad" or quick witted we can be, but always seeking to show how GOOD our God is.
When we hit our knees, I believe we will find many logs to pull from our own eyes.
So many that we won't have time to worry about that speck in our neighbor's line of sight.
I believe introspection of self is called for long before pointing fingers at another, no matter where our chair is positioned in the room of life.
What I've written here. Please know that it isn't me preaching to anything but the choir of my own heart.
This sinner saved by outrageous grace has seen a lot of hurt on display. Up close and personal.
Recognized it. Felt it. Have been at the receiving end before.
But watching it play out in the life of another has reminded me.
As I watched I could taste the venom. Read the hate. Feel the knee jerk need to retaliate. All infectious in the worst way possible.
And I cannot speak or write another day - not one more moment- without consulting the One who made this mouth and Who blessed me with these words. I cannot remain quiet when all of hell is dancing as God's kids beat each other up. Verbally. Emotionally. Physically.
Maybe it helps another. Maybe it's just for me. Either way, this student has learned. I can't walk with anything outside of grace. I'm just too human and need it too much.
I hope you need it, too.
Christie Aitken, 2016
www.ChristieAitken.net
Words matter. Even on social networking where we can opt for saying whatever comes to our minds (backed by lots of cheerleading, and cushioned by the ease of minimal immediate repercussions).
But hurt people hurt people.
And the "least of these" is very easily all of us on any given day.
We forget that last part, I think.
We forget that it's only by God's grace that any of us can lift our heads to type anything.
We forget that the One who "made mouths" thought it worthy to even give us one...
And as a result of such forgetting, we misuse our gift right and left.
So I ask, do we truly want to expend that God-given grace launching assaults and criticism on those just trying to get through life on this side of heaven in one piece, too?
Do we really want to reek of chaos when we were created for the consuming aroma of grace?
May we think - maybe even pray- before we assume, judge, or look down on another.
Chances are if we take it to the prayer level, judging won't ever take place ... because we will find too much compassion there.
We will find love so great that we cannot go down in the flames of the one that hates our souls enough to put us in places of emotional contention with one another.
We will see Jeremiah 29:11 plans for lives beyond our own. Never seeking to show how "bad" or quick witted we can be, but always seeking to show how GOOD our God is.
When we hit our knees, I believe we will find many logs to pull from our own eyes.
So many that we won't have time to worry about that speck in our neighbor's line of sight.
I believe introspection of self is called for long before pointing fingers at another, no matter where our chair is positioned in the room of life.
What I've written here. Please know that it isn't me preaching to anything but the choir of my own heart.
This sinner saved by outrageous grace has seen a lot of hurt on display. Up close and personal.
Recognized it. Felt it. Have been at the receiving end before.
But watching it play out in the life of another has reminded me.
As I watched I could taste the venom. Read the hate. Feel the knee jerk need to retaliate. All infectious in the worst way possible.
And I cannot speak or write another day - not one more moment- without consulting the One who made this mouth and Who blessed me with these words. I cannot remain quiet when all of hell is dancing as God's kids beat each other up. Verbally. Emotionally. Physically.
Maybe it helps another. Maybe it's just for me. Either way, this student has learned. I can't walk with anything outside of grace. I'm just too human and need it too much.
I hope you need it, too.
Christie Aitken, 2016
www.ChristieAitken.net
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