Thoughts of Grace : Your Disciplee never dated Mary Beth
Some people act like this isn't true.
Kevin dated Mary for 2 years. It started off rocky, with Mary incessantly hinting her desires to Kevin. Kevin caught on, and they began to date. Kevin was liked her a lot, but as time went on, problems arose. Kevin had problems being content, communicating, and making dating a priority. Mary's strong desire at the beginning of the relationship still prodded along moving Kevin faster and faster. Kevin soon felt as if he could not keep up, and so he ended the relationship.
Kevin all the while was discipling 5 guys.
Kevin learned much from dating Mary for 2 years, about his lackings in the Lord, and also in marriage and in love. How he understood how much Christ loved the church, how those 2 years of struggling in patience and character had helped him realize how much more he needed God for even the minute to minute moments.
He poured his experiences into his 5 guys.
In the years following, he watched as 2 of his guys, Sam and Neil began to encounter similar situations as Kevin and Mary. Both Sam and Neil began to replay what Kevin had seen in his life earlier.
Kevin began to fume.
It seemed as his group of guys would not listen. And to top it off, it seemed that the other 3 guys he was meeting up with would not take their need for Christ seriously. He became frustrated because no matter Kevin's emotion or diligence and urgency to talk to them, they seemed to be apathetic. Top add sugar on the cake of pain, Sam and Neil began to follow Kevin's dating footsteps, despite Kevin's disapproval.
What is the problem in Kevin's group?
None of them dated Mary.
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if you are leader/caring friend, please please go easy on those you share truths with. Many of the pillars of truth, mountains of resolve, and valleys of intimacy have come from long real life experiences.
Many experiences which your listeners have not had.
So how can you expect them to grip to truth to the same degree that you have? How can you expect them to feel the connection of pain you feel? If you have fallen from the Lord, and scraped yourself back up, consequence after consequence, truth after truth. How can you expect anyone to have the same devotion if they have never fallen?
So, the next time you want to lead a holiness crusade among your circle, perhaps you should evaluate the pre-requisetes of the passion that you wish to replicate. Is it off of a event that only you experienced? Is it off a personal weakness that only you seem to share? Is it a difficulty in the bible? Is it based off of a problem that only you struggle with?
Ask, and consider what kind of response you are to expect from those who are under you. Always take anything more, but don't expect too much. They never dated Mary Beth for 2 years.
Summary: "You had to be there" means more than you know.
Kevin dated Mary for 2 years. It started off rocky, with Mary incessantly hinting her desires to Kevin. Kevin caught on, and they began to date. Kevin was liked her a lot, but as time went on, problems arose. Kevin had problems being content, communicating, and making dating a priority. Mary's strong desire at the beginning of the relationship still prodded along moving Kevin faster and faster. Kevin soon felt as if he could not keep up, and so he ended the relationship.
Kevin all the while was discipling 5 guys.
Kevin learned much from dating Mary for 2 years, about his lackings in the Lord, and also in marriage and in love. How he understood how much Christ loved the church, how those 2 years of struggling in patience and character had helped him realize how much more he needed God for even the minute to minute moments.
He poured his experiences into his 5 guys.
In the years following, he watched as 2 of his guys, Sam and Neil began to encounter similar situations as Kevin and Mary. Both Sam and Neil began to replay what Kevin had seen in his life earlier.
Kevin began to fume.
It seemed as his group of guys would not listen. And to top it off, it seemed that the other 3 guys he was meeting up with would not take their need for Christ seriously. He became frustrated because no matter Kevin's emotion or diligence and urgency to talk to them, they seemed to be apathetic. Top add sugar on the cake of pain, Sam and Neil began to follow Kevin's dating footsteps, despite Kevin's disapproval.
What is the problem in Kevin's group?
None of them dated Mary.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
if you are leader/caring friend, please please go easy on those you share truths with. Many of the pillars of truth, mountains of resolve, and valleys of intimacy have come from long real life experiences.
Many experiences which your listeners have not had.
So how can you expect them to grip to truth to the same degree that you have? How can you expect them to feel the connection of pain you feel? If you have fallen from the Lord, and scraped yourself back up, consequence after consequence, truth after truth. How can you expect anyone to have the same devotion if they have never fallen?
So, the next time you want to lead a holiness crusade among your circle, perhaps you should evaluate the pre-requisetes of the passion that you wish to replicate. Is it off of a event that only you experienced? Is it off a personal weakness that only you seem to share? Is it a difficulty in the bible? Is it based off of a problem that only you struggle with?
Ask, and consider what kind of response you are to expect from those who are under you. Always take anything more, but don't expect too much. They never dated Mary Beth for 2 years.
Summary: "You had to be there" means more than you know.
posted by Tim Lee at 9:59 PM
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