Our most recent post contained a singular line I\u2019d like to address further today in a little more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I speak not of the need to \u201cassume a humble posture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I speak not either of being \u201clured into believing life is a series of binary choices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today\u2019s post centers around something arguably more practical and blunt\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou let someone <\/em>\u2018deserving\u2019<\/em><\/strong> finally have it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n With all due respect to the wisdom shared by brilliant authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend in the NY Times<\/em> bestseller, Boundaries \u2014 <\/em>recognizing that healthy boundaries are necessary, being aware of our own limitations \u2014 what if we chose to never let the \u201cdeserving\u201d have it? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To be clear, the \u201cdeserving\u201d are those I have deemed as such. Not me alone, of course. I have an inner circle of likeminded thinkers who will affirm my humble\/semi-humble\/possibly-humble conclusion that another has warranted my judgment. I typically start like this\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve had it\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI just have to say\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t take it anymore\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m at my breaking point\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI refuse to entertain any other opinion\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And with that, we blow. We let them have it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So play with me for a moment; what if we didn\u2019t? What if we didn\u2019t let another have it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Recognizing that passions run high \u2014 and our passions are valid, mind you \u2014 still, I repeat, what if we chose not to let another have it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Crazy. I know\u2026 \u201cYou don\u2019t understand\u2026 They are wrong! They are dangerous! They don\u2019t know what they don\u2019t know!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And just like that, we assume we actually know what we don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friends, I keep coming to the conclusion that when we\u2019re shouting at another \u2014 no matter the venue \u2014 it\u2019s not going to make anyone want to be more like us. It reminds me, in fact, of good ole\u2019 Brother Max\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each spring and fall on the warmer, sunny mornings, Brother Max used to bless us with his presence on our midwestern college campus. We students would stroll by the worn paths, semi-awake for the day\u2019s slate of classes, and if we were fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to walk toward Stewart Center, we were greeted by Max screaming at us. He was a man in his late 50\u2019s \u2014 typically donning a tie, hat, and sunglasses. And God bless him; while I\u2019d like to believe that somewhere in there he had a solid faith, he was trying to influence us to have a solid faith, too \u2014 by screaming at us.<\/em> And while understanding what\u2019s true and not about being a Jesus follower has become the primary devotion of my life, I can remember concluding from Max\u2019s confrontational style that I didn\u2019t want to be like him; I didn\u2019t even want to think<\/em> like him. The screaming and shaming simply wasn\u2019t effective. He was more the center of our mockery as opposed to any kind of role model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so I ask again, what if we intentionally chose not to ever let another have it?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n What would happen? What would be different?<\/p>\n\n\n\n What if, in fact, in place of the screaming and shaming, we offered grace<\/em> instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grace\u2026<\/strong> favor toward the unworthy\u2026 a kindness given to the undeserved\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 the undeserved\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Amazing, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR Our most recent post contained a singular line I\u2019d like to address further today in a little more detail. I speak not of the need to \u201cassume a humble posture.\u201d I speak not either of being \u201clured into believing life is a series of binary choices.\u201d Today\u2019s post centers around something arguably more practical and … <\/p>\n
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