Would someone who visited your home or church walk away rejoicing that the grace of God was on display?
A Bridge and not a Wall
God does not always choose to work within the boundaries of our established traditions. Traditions can be helpful as a point of reference, but they can also be shackles that keep us from effectively engaging the culture around us. When our tradition ceases being a bridge and becomes a wall, it is longer contributing to the purpose of the church.
Old error in a new setting
These reflections were prompted by a statement that was recently brought to my attention. The speaker used 1 Corinthians 14:1 as a springboard to declare that bringing prophetic words to people is the best gift to have. Prophetic words being in the form of “God told me that . . . ” The “that” is usually something that the listener needs to do in response to what the speaker thinks is beneficial.
How well do you shepherd your flock?
All of the items in the list above are related to the second great command to love my neighbor. A list like this is helpful because it reminds me that to love my neighbor, I have to get to know him and know what is going on in his life.
