Today, I thought about the church.
I thought about the people in the church.
And I think that sometimes, the church seems like it’s suffering from diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association,
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.
Of course, excessive consumption food with high levels of sugar also contributes to diabetes.
Much like … sugar coated truth.
I think we’re all too nice with our words to the point where people don’t know when to use their insulin and break down all the sugary parts of it and convert those truths to reveal underlying valuable lessons and advice. Insulin’s really the thing that sets the truth apart.
Much like … the Bible.
Of course, the Word was God, and Jesus is God and so is the Holy Spirit.. all in one. So yeah. Much like the Holy Spirit too.
I think I can only speak for myself, where I constantly find myself minding the feelings and possible reactions of the person I speak to, to the point where I put it across in such a gentle manner that it almost loses it’s gist.
Speaking of diabetes, I realize that some symptoms are also .. very relevant to the church. One of it is neuropathy. The failure of the brain to detect pain, heat or cold. Well, when one member of the body is hurting .. under normal circumstances the whole body would be able to feel the pain and feel it .. but if the body is suffering from diabetes, and is NOT able to feel the pain of a member of the body, then the body breaks down. If not treated, the leg might have to be amputated .. which is quite common if the body and its parts are not well taken care of.
Sounds quite real now, doesn’t it?
I’m pretty tired from travelling. If you’ve got any thoughts, do leave them in the comment area.
David[hmm]
PS: I’m bringing the insulin!
“I constantly find myself minding the feelings and possible reactions of the person I speak to…”
Am guilty of the above, too. I guess the Q is, what is the reason behind our apprehension?
Is it to maintain our own popularity or
is it for the one/One that God has called us to Love?
=1 Corinthians 13:13=
Hmm.. it’s a girl thing. Girls have too much consideration for the other party’s feelings and conditions. Relational creatures .. they are.
I’m so NOT popular man. And so NOT a girl. Haha.
David[hmm]
Es un gran análisis, me deja pensando si hay algún miembro lastimado.
Me preocupa la amputación.
Como bien dices el mensaje es Dios.
Espero no tergiversarlo.
Ah! Well, it came as an inspiration.
David[hmm]
nice simile ~~ ^^
I’ve learnt quite a bit from being in a ‘western’ church.
We usually get served the truths hard and strong.
(A good example would be: If you don’t attend leaders’ meeting/prayer meeting, you cannot lead your CG. Please disband and allocate members to other cells)
People get squirmy and hate the leaders in the church.
But in the long term (can take days to years), they find out themselves that the truth (which they squirmed about) really can set them free… And they apologize to the leader and cry and hug and all…
At the end of the day, it’s whether you have your wellbeing or the wellbeing of the person you’re speaking to in mind, I think.
If you HONESTLY want to see the person grow, you would neglect their potential negativity towards you and tell the, sometimes blunt, truth.
;)
I think the reason why I wrote this entry .. or the thought came to me was because I’ve always been serving the cold hard truth. Sometimes, yeah .. I do mellow down and sugar coat it a little, but then I feel as though I’ve shortchanged them .. somewhat.
Of course .. there’s a grave need for discernment as to what we should or should not release, which is absolutely what I go by .. but when the truth hits them too hard, the finger’s pointed back at us .. for the lack of discernment.
Is discernment subject to how people take truth? Certainly not .. I believe.
As for your comment above .. I personally have experienced this. Although .. the percentage is .. at a mere 1.25% .. [eh, I've got statistics, okay?], it’s not too encouraging a figure.
I guess that’s why I wrote the entry.
For those who .. have been pissed off cause someone told you something that you didn’t like to hear .. take heart. We’re not out to get you. We’ve got better things to do .. haha.
David[hmm]
Al parecer es un tema que causa revuelo y provoca muchas reacciones.
Inclusive los post, levantan mucha polvareda
Hablan de la iglesia en occidente, del azucar, del discernimiento.
De alguien que dijo lo que no debía.
Realmente no entiendo nada.
Todo es confuso, se nota que no pertenezco a este sitio.
solución ” no volver a opinar”
Hmm…
David[hmmm]
“at a mere 1.25% .. [eh, I’ve got statistics, okay?], it’s not too encouraging a figure.”
Yupp definitely, never encouraging! That’s why you cannot fail to neglect this line in my comment “it’s whether you have your wellbeing or the wellbeing of the person you’re speaking to in mind”.
If you have YOUR own wellbeing in mind, you’ll ALWAYS sugar-coat the truth (cause then it will cost you nothing to lay down the ‘truth’). If you genuinely, sincerely have the wellbeing of the ‘conversee’ in mind, you’ll always release the full truth based on love and the potential you see in that person although it may cost you the relationship.
Its the character and ‘heart’ behind the words that matter at the end of the day is I guess what I’m trying to say. Of course, presentation helps :P
God bless! :)
Whow. As trivial as you may have made it sound .. we still can’t deny it costs A LOT, right? Ahaha.
But yes, it’s the “conversee”’s well-being.
Hmm…