Tag Archives: confrontation

Hard Questions

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Why don’t we ask each other the hard questions?:  Why are we so timid when it comes to confrontation?  How can the answer be any other than fear?

“If I confront him about this, there’ll be friction.”

Why?  Because of pride.  It lives and breathes within every man with the ferocity of a wild beast.  Wake him and you will certainly incure abuse.

What’s the fix?  Stop coddling each other!  Learn to take it on the chin.  Learn to deliver Life to your brother, regardless the cost.  Learn to listen to wisdom!

The Lord will help you deliver the punching questions with humility.  If they retaliate, you earn the right to say you have been persecuted for Truth’s sake.

Who do you fear the most?  The Living God, or man?

What more needs to be said here?  I’ve asked the hard question.  What’s your response?  I didn’t couch this in “PC”, because I want you to see how strongly bound, in each of us, Pride really is.

Why isn’t humility and a teachable spirit bound more tightly?

Going out

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I struggle hard to get used to it.  When I am not among people the sting fades.  The reality is remembered but the burden is softer.

Prayers are lifted.  Intent is sharpened.  I purpose to do well next time.  When it is time to venture out, desire consumes me to leave myself behind.  But I come along for the ride anyway.

Once with them, blinders of mercy strive to cover their sin.  But their behavior is so blatantly wicked, it is impossible not to notice.

The Lord has taught me his gospel.  And I wear a hat that speaks of eternity.  It is an emblem with a silver cross on a dark blue hat.  The words simply read “Think Eternity“. They see me coming and turn away.

Then the moment comes when conversation is inevitable.  This is the moment I dread the most, for now I will open my mouth.  Just a few words pass and the difference is clear; not only clear to me but brilliantly clear to them.

At some point you see them strive for opportunity to leave.  The simple witness of a man has opened a chasm.  Before they perceive it not.  But now it looms before them, bringing terror.

I did not speak the holy words of Christ in front of them.  That opportunity did not show.  But the views of life within me made themselves apparent.  And the differences between us are stark.

Yes, I dread going out to meet with people.  Not because they are wicked, but because I am such a weak fool.

Christ Jesus within me is strength beyond measure, wisdom eternal, mercy unending.  I look for opportunities to share what is within me.  But opportunity is a fleeting animal.

They are trained to avoid confrontation with the Most High God.  They are trained to love their neighbor by being inclusive and embrace their sin.  They are taught to avoid the confrontation between truth and lies.  And they have learned their lesson very well.

Deadly Ground

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The door swung open and the man walked in.  With eyes that have seen blood and terror, he looked around quickly.  Having located those who might pose a problem, he began to speak.  “Which one of you wants to take me on?  Let’s get to it.  He waited.  Those he had assessed as a possible problem proved him right.  Three of them stood up with anger in their faces.  The four of them stood straight and still for a moment.  You could just smell the tension in the room. 

The one who had the most potential for trouble turned to his friends and said, “I say we go across the street and catch the action at Millies”.  With a laugh, the three walked past the man with eyes that never left their target.  The man turned slightly as they left and watched them go.  Then, when they were dedicated to their words, the man turned to those left.  “Good evening folks”, the man said with a great joy in his voice.  “My name is Keith.  I’m the preacher from Tombstone.  I’ve come to hold service with you tonite.  Put down your drinks and lets rearrange the chairs”.  After a moment of shock and gawking to each other they got up and moved all the chairs.  Without any farther dilly dally, the man began his prayer.

“Father in Heaven, I thank you for Your Glorious grace and mercy.  It is good what You have taught me; When you enter a place make sure to shake out those who would stand against My Word.    Now, by Your Majesty, we will begin to share the truth You have given Your servant.  In the Glorious name of Jesus we pray”.  And the people said “AMEN”!

 The message was filled with a beautiful mix of death and life.  With simple words, the preacher laid out the truth.  One of the men sitting near him watched him intently and the preacher began to worry that a snake had remained.  None-the-less, with a sharp corner of his eye keeping watch on the man sitting near, the preacher kept on.  Perhaps he was just very interested in the message and the messenger.

At the end of the message, that man came up to the preacher.  He said, “Mind if I ask ya something?”.  “Shoot”, said the preacher and it made the man smile.  “Where’s your guns?”, the man whispered.  “I didn’t see any sign of em under your top coat.  You got a special place to stash em?”  The preacher laughed.  “Guns!”, he spoke loudly.  “What guns?  I don’t carry any guns on me”.  The man squinted hard at the preacher.  “Maybe he ain’t all there”, he thought to himself.  “You don’t appear to be stupid to me, preacher.  So why call those men out when you walked in?   If they called your bluff, you’d be dead by now”.  The preacher’s face got grim and a scowl crossed his forehead.  He turned and looked the man face to face and eye to eye.  Bending closer, the preacher whispered in a coarse tone, “You don’t get it.  If they plug me through they only send me home.  Though I die in this body I will never die.”    The man squinted back at the preacher.  And he whispered back with the same corse tone, “You just ain’t all there mister”. 

The man turned and left shaking his head.  He had paid no attention to the message given.  He had no eyes to see and no ears to hear.  How about you?

By His Grace.