OK then. Nothing new in this blog, but though some people may find my  topic  mix and choice random and scatter brained, I have to go with what I believe God gives me when He gives me it these days. Concentration is difficult for me, so I have to trust God in the immediate moment and “put it out there” when something comes to be that I believe is to help others via this blog. The result is a soup of a few hundred blogs at revkennyblog.com constantly ready to eat, which you can taste from as little or as much as you choose whenever you wish. I trust God the right ones will find their way to the right people on the right day. Simple faith!

I was thinking about how when we are at the receiving end of  a nasty, humiliating or vicious  comment, however that comment comes,  be it public or private, the  effect can last for days. Being a Christian helps us through that process, but it does not eradicate the process, as being a Christian helps us to be more human and humane and to feel more keenly rather than making us less human or robotic or stoic.

Well, this seemed to be the thought God gave me as a useful one to carry to wherever you gather with other beleivers this weekend. If one comment can affect us so much, what about when someone has faced continual comments every day throughout their childhood and young adult life? What about someone living in an abusive marriage where confidence dstroying and humiliating comments are deviously slipped into conversation in heavy doses? What about someone who is carrying the dark shadow of bullying all through their school years?

I had this awareness earlier: some of us who are keen on seeing church grow and mission happen can become frustrated when we see people in church who seem to contirubute little other than to be there to worship God. “Why are they like that? Can’t they see how tired those who do stuff are getting and offer to help?” Well for some at least this is the reason: the effect of continual daily year in year our nastiness on the tongue of other people. In saying that I have not even mentionined the effect of horrible deeds which some have also faced being carried out against them on a year in year out basis. It is a miracle that they are in church at all. They don’t need to feel the poisoned air  of your furstration being breathed forth upon them; feel it they will I can assure you. Don’t think you can hide it behind a cheery “hello” and a nice smile. Pretence in such manifest ways is no barrier to the powerful poison of what is in our hearts spreading beyond our control!

“Be patient with one another…” “Encourage one another……”

Perhaps you are thinking that you had a pretty rough time and you came through it with the help of Christ, so “they” should be able to be like you? Make sure that the story of your victory in Jesus does not become a bigger burden on others who are struggling to come to victory beyond survival for themselves. No two stories are the same. No two people are the same. It is just fact that levels of reslilience differ for a host of reasons. Equal faith but different reslilience in the face of much the same story in terms of chapters past  can result in different chapters present and future. Don’t judge. In any case, what do any of us have that we did not receive as a gift when it comes to victory in Christ?

Switch off the judgement. Switch off irritation. Switch off the lovelessness of seeing only what a person does not do which you wish they would do. They are not you. You are not them. Perhaps if we breathed forth the unseen pure air of the love of Christ on one another a miracle of survival would lead to more miracles of life in all its fullness, not for the sake of church work or church mission but for the sake of those whom Jesus loves. Why not pray that tomorrow in your church gathering that because of your repentance after reading this blog, someone will know from you that you are just delighted to see them? Someone you may have sent home with a heavy cloud resting upon them each Sunday, may go home tomorrow with an awareness that the Sun/Son of Righteousness has indeed risen upon them with healing in His wings and believe for a new day. You yourself will be able to go home and for the first time in many a week be able to enjoy Sunday dinner without the sauce of accusation and frustration being poured out yet again.

God Bless

Kenny