Resisting Personal Urges

I have walked many roads in my short life. To the point of my entire post I will refrain from specifying each of these roads as part of my personal resistance... resisting my own urges. I have walked with Jesus down most of these same pathways.

I will further admit to being given to emotion. I am the first (and usually only) one in my house to cry at the appropriately sentimental time in a movie. I am the one making the impassioned pleas for more of this or less of that. I am the mercy-showing disciplinarian... at times to my wife's chagrin. I am a leader and a joiner - that is, I try to lead other people to join together for a common cause.

Frankly I used to be of the opinion that there was only one true brand of Christianity... which (not coincidentally) happened to be the brand that I belonged to at the time. This opinion was held so firmly that there were many people who I then labeled as apostate (or worse) that I now identify as Jesus-followers. I am embarrassed at things I have said in that regard. I have asked some of those same people to forgive me and now am enriched by their friendship.

Recently a dear friend of mine has chosen to chronicle some of his personal journey with Jesus. There have been statements made for and against his words - and not surprisingly. I'm pretty sure that not so long ago I would have felt it necessary to join in the scrutinous discussion. So I'm not voting on this one. There are close personal friends on both sides of this for me. There has been deep (in some senses irreparable) damage done already.

The Jesus way is personal. This venue is impersonal. Therefore, at least so far as the blogosphere is concerned, I will remain silent. Instead of talking about people I choose to talk to them. And if you truly care about any individual... perhaps you should do the same.