So there I am. Sitting at the first meeting (orientation) of The Clash. At this point I’m feeling pretty good. I have been able to make my routine Sovereign Grace conference judgments and assumptions on everyone, you know, just a little sizing up, no harm in that. Right? I’m now in defense mode, the I’ll only talk to you if you talk to me mode, the I don’t have anything against you but I just don’t feel like making the effort to get to know you mode, the I’m happy with my own friends mode. Again, ok. Right? Well, just as the meeting is finishing up I begin to get a sick felling as I read the dreaded words “ICE CREAM SOCIAL, TONIGHT”.
Nooooo. Now I have to come out of defense mode and begin looking at people based off real personal interaction. This is going to take a little effort. But the ice cream social was just the beginning of the downfall of my pride and God opening my eyes to true biblical love manifested through fellowship. The lectures were amazing, the discussion groups were awesome but what stuck with me most from the conference were the endless examples of true biblical fellowship. It seemed that every conversation I entered into (not because of me) was in some way God glorifying, encouraging or edifying. The amount of encouragement, pointing out evidences of grace and humble corrections that was given was amazing and challenging.
By the end of the week, self-centered me had actually built new, close and God centered relationships and had grown significantly closer to those who I had already known. God, in his grace, convicted me of my conversations and interactions back in my daily life. How often did I really encourage someone? How often did I point out an evidence of grace in someone’s life? When was the last time that I TRULY loved someone enough to point out sin in their life?
God used the interaction with my friends who I had known and those who I had just met to humble me and show me a real life example of what Paul talks about in Ephesians 4: 29-30 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who here”. I cannot let the excuse, “that’s all nice and easy when your at a conference, receiving messages and worshiping God every day”, keep me from obeying God’s command to “let NO corrupting talk come out of your mouths” and speak “ONLY such as is good for building up”(authors emphasis). God please give me the grace to love others in my conversation as you have loved me.
Kevin
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I can be tempted in this same area & this was a great reminder for me not to be self-centered in my relationships & interactions with people. Jesus was the greatest example of reaching out to people & initiating biblical fellowship...it's helpful to know we have his example to follow! Thanks for humbly sharing your experience Kevin.
This is very encouraging, Kevin. Thank you so much for sharing with us what God has done and is still doing in your heart. You are truely a Godly example for me, thanks again.
Thanks for your humility Kevin. There were times at The Clash when I stuggled with this as well. God's grace was definitely evident in your life as the week went on in your desire to draw people out and encourage others with evidence's of grace you noticed in them.
Post a Comment