the basic message # E54
John 15:12-13
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Have I told you lately that I love you? I do. Sometimes that love manifests itself in ways that many of you don’t understand. I recently had 2 emails in my mailbox in response to E28 (The Christian First Grade) with 2 very different messages. The first one went something like this: “I’m fed up with your judgmental attitude and constant put-downs. Don’t ever send me anything else.” The second response only had one word: "Amen". Two people read the same message and get two totally different things from it. Interesting, yet puzzling.
Imagine this scenario: You’re jogging across a beautiful pasture when suddenly out of nowhere I run up and tackle you to the ground. You try to wrestle free and continue running, this time running because you’re afraid of me. You finally give up the struggle and yell, “What do you want!?” I then explain that the beautiful pasture had been used for Army maneuvers, and that the entire area ahead is peppered with land mines. Are you still angry with me?
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord.
If you’ve visited the website recently, you might be wondering about the number of subscribers I update weekly. The number 3 weeks ago was around 650, but reads 628 now. What happened? Several things, one being people dropping AOL as their provider and not giving me a forwarding email address. Secondly, some people asked to be removed from the list. Thirdly, (and this one bothers me) some folks ask to receive the weekly message, yet delete it regularly. As I notice a trend of deletions, I will send them a note asking if they want to stay on the list. If I don’t get any response, I delete them. Numbers mean nothing to me. I’d rather have 100 people that read the message with diligence than have 1000 that can take it or leave it. I perform this ministry absolutely free of charge although I have expenses for an extra phone line, Internet provider, website hosting service, etc. I don’t want your money, but I do want a little understanding.
I don’t want readers that agree with every point I make, rather I’m interested in people who will “Come now, let us reason together”. I get plenty of disagreement, and much of it has merit. Which brings me to my reason for this message: Judgmental attitudes. Some folks think I take a hard line on sinful behavior. I do. But guess what, I beat myself up more than anyone. How else can we grow? I get email saying, “When you beat-up people, they close their minds to the message”. I hate to hear that, but let’s take a look at the alternative. I could write a mealy-mouthed, lukewarm message that will make you all feel like you have a guaranteed seat in Heaven. Or, I can write a message that has scripture to back up my statements that might cause you to take a good look at yourself. If I write a “soothing” message that gives you false security about your position in Christ, how does that help you in the long-haul? Make no mistake, friends, we are saved by grace, so that no man can boast, but salvation does indeed have a price tag: Obedience to God. Do you want to know where the land mines are, or do you want to take your chances? Your choice.