Isnât it just the most amazing âcoincidenceâ when this happens? Almost as if God knows what we need and sends us where He put it.Wow, awesome thread! Thank you for all of the beautiful insights, guys. I stumbled upon this tread just when I needed it. Thank you!
John, I was thinking about what you said. How true that people feel freer to lash on others since their true identity are unknown online. We are all fragile humans. Even I donât give out my real name; if someone were nasty to me Iâll still feel hurt. Hopefully we all learn from each other and could become more gentle and less harsh.I think St. James really hit it on the head when he discussed the human tongue and the horrible damage it is capable of inflicting. And in the (at least seemingly) highly impersonal world of internet communications, that tongue seems to be allowed to lash out at will in far too many cases, often resulting in statements being made, and acknowledged as such, that would never be made to a ârealâ human being face to face. As if the hundreds, or thousands, of people who may see these comments arenât real people and capable of being wounded by those comments.
Peace,
But like Carole said, they donât know what they were doing. This morning I went to the doctor, the nurse who talked to me on the phone a week ago said ââŚâŚ, what do you expect Dr. XX to do for you?â What she meant was based on last scan that found nothing, why do I still bother to go to the doctorâs office. Oh, my, after a weekendâs fever and pain with the repeated symptom and uncertainty, her words really upset me. But she did not know what she was doing.
That is so right, and sin, not only hurts the Body of Christ but also has its social consequence, a ripple effect to the entire society. We wouldnât exaggeratedly say one person sneezes in Africa will affect you and me, but actually we are all affected by each other. Thatâs how original sin affected mankind for generations forever.
That is beautiful insight, Barb. We are helpless like worms because without God, we can do nothing. The worms cannot repent because they cannot sin. We can repent. And repentance is a beautiful thing. But I cannot help to kill bugs and I wonât repent for that killing.
You know Barb, Iâve met precious few people who arenât control freaks if you dig deeply enough. Itâs really just a matter of prodding someone on the things they really feel they canât do without, those things from which they have not detached. And it is often stated in very subtle ways.
And beautiful insight on your own part for sure, Carole. I still think it is truly beautiful to contemplate a life form, a creature of God, designed and created by Him and breathed into life, who is completely united to Godâs WillâŚthe worms having no need of that wondrous gift of repentance since they cannot sin having no free will of course. I must admit that I hate to kill any life form at all and always apologize - interiorly if there is any âdangerâ of my apology being heardThat is beautiful insight, Barb. We are helpless like worms because without God, we can do nothing. The worms cannot repent because they cannot sin. We can repent. And repentance is a beautiful thing. But I cannot help to kill bugs and I wonât repent for that killing.
Great insight John on the subject of âcontrolâ and âcontrol freaksâ - never thought of things as you have stated abvoe - thank you!You know Barb, Iâve met precious few people who arenât control freaks if you dig deeply enough. Itâs really just a matter of prodding someone on the things they really feel they canât do without, those things from which they have not detached. And it is often stated in very subtle ways.
It may be the obviously-controlling person, who has to have everyone else do things only the way they feel it should be done. That can certainly be found here in certain areas.
It may be those who play the guilt card, controlling not through intimidation but through manipulation. Or its subspeciesâmy particular specialtyâthe passive-aggressive approach.
But itâs really just the need to control when we mutter under our breath about the person that cut us off in traffic, or in the checkout line at the grocery store. Or about the person who parked in the handcipped space and âobviouslyâ didnât need to. These are just needs to control our environment or to remake reality in the way we feel it should operate.
And of course it would be quite easy when we realize this to again become discouraged that we âneedâ to do such things. But like other such things, we just really need, IMO, to be able to laugh at ourselves when we discover these shortcoming, recognize them for what they are, and move on. Recognizing them is enlightening; being blind to them and thinking ourselves righteous is the real danger. Those were the only people Jesus himself really seemed to have a hard time with. Those who sought to be healed and came to him were consistently shown love and mercy.
But then there are those blasted people to whom one tries to show mercy, and they get insulted that you suggested they need itâŚ
But then there are those blasted people to whom one tries to show mercy, and they get insulted that you suggested they need itâŚ
