RaVae EricksonHere is an excerpt from a beautifully written, inspiring, honest blog post written today:
Long Suffering
So if you love me, if you know me, talk to me. Tell me when you are concerned I’ve fallen short. Not on a public format where over 10,000 people are reading. Not in front of a large group. Send me an email if you are one of my far away friends like Merita, or Jessie, or Katie, or Mike. Ask me to coffee if you do every day life with me. Or as a tour manager once said to a lady who was accusing me at the merchandise table- in front of 100 people- of wearing an outfit that wasn’t Godly, “You know what ma’am- I love Jenny. Mark Matlock loves Jenny. The skit guys love Jenny. Jenny’s band mates love Jenny. Her husband loves Jenny. If she is dressed inappropriately, those of us who love her and who serve in ministry alongside her will come to her in grace and express our concern. But that is for someone who knows and loves her. And you are not that person.”
There needs to be a litmus test among Christians before we go about writing our comments, carrying our picketing signs, and having these deeply personal conversations about other people’s “sins”
Do I even know this person? Am I angry right now? Am I the right person to say this? Is the Holy Spirit overwhelming me to speak these words to this person? Is it a respectful setting? Have I taken time to think about this? Am I doing this because I am fighting for a cause or fighting for this person’s heart… their well being? Is it my place to speak into this person’s life- into their choices- do I know them, love them, have some sort of relationship with them?
If you can’t answer these questions with absolute clarity- perhaps you’d be better taking the person who has offended you to coffee and becoming someone who loves them and roots for them. Or perhaps, it would be better to practice James 1:19, being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
-Jenny (from Addison Road)
To read the rest of her wonderful post today please click HERE. I HIGHLY recommend it. This is a topic I have been passionate about for a few years now, but have slowly forgotten (as we humans tend to do). It was a great reminder to me today, and I hope it speaks to you as well.