can't tell you the last Sunday i was in church, but today was the day i couldn't get it off my mind to go. it was pouring rain & i had the task of doing the final clean for my friend who has just moved out of her apartment (a job i completely underestimated)..
anyway - it is raining & i have the bright idea of going early to catch the study portion - i do an engine search and locate the name & thought i clicked on the correct link. it was 842a & i was out the door by 850a (very proud of myself - but really proud of the lady who cut my hair this past week making this whole thing doable).
anyway - the time i saw was 9a & i get there by 905a and i note very few cars - which - for me, is good. i walk in & everyone is sitting around a table talking ~ and as i sit down i realize this is not bible study, but a "session" meeting aka. a meeting for the governing body of the church.. i thought for a second - why am i here?? so i sit through it & i was asked for an unbiased opinion on a matter - i responded & it was received well.. following i followed a few into the sanctuary where we discussed ~ Colossians 3:12-17. later i realize i clicked the wrong link (not surprising).
i thought it one of those moments when God has spoken directly .. from the discussion we would come to understand that - without boundaries (guidelines) we would never know grace. the pastor talked about working at the seminary & the most liberal professors were the most rigid when it came to dealing with others fallibility ; however, the most conservative professors would stand with open arms even in the face of another's failure. the open arms give a glimpse of grace.
the pastor said he was still unsure of the phenomenon, but i would lean towards the idea that there is rest in the standard - and - aggravation in the chaos.
i've personally experienced bosses, and i have witnessed others in a position of authority act aggressively & i find for myself - my authority speaks for itself (referring to my residential role). when i know what the line is - when i know what the consequences of crossing the line are - all i need to do is implement. i don't have to be aggressive, but assertive. to further - i can also offer compassion to those receiving consequences, the immediate results may not change, but perhaps resilience is strengthened.
that to say.. i lose nothing in offering my compassion because i know where the line is.. thinking of the liberal professor ~ perhaps he is swimming in the idea he determines the standard & really - how scary would that be.. the responsibility of discerning each awkward situation based on a loose set of comparisons. it is makeshift at best & i might very well walk around irritated most of the day.. there would be no rest - well, for anyone of good conscious .. if i was the deciding factor - i would never sleep for all the mistakes i could have made.
in contrast - the conservative professor ~ at rest within the standard ~ can use his mind and energy towards the preservation and encouragement of those struggling.
good to hear that conservative isn't always about intolerance as some would believe. in this example ~ these are the great teachers and believers of our good.
Lord - thank You for endless options of how we can go about knowing You more ~
oh & how did we get boundaries from that passages? again - its the beauty of God's Word that lead's us ~ but logistically - one of the participants made a comment on how difficult some of this is - loving our community (see ya next blog post)
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