Wrong

As I get somewhat older, significantly less smart, and considerably more wise, I am seeing criticism much differently.

When someone comes at me with their anger about my incompetence, heresy or foolishness, I have begun to see fear instead of rage. It's not so much anger that I am wrong- but fear that they are.
This creates a nicer scenario for debate and meaningful interaction. My goal becomes relieving their fears, instead of fighting their anger - replacing their nagging feeling that they might be wrong with the discontentment that everyone probably is.

Especially me.

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Tim Bailey

Mercy and Chaos

Ok, so my thoughts about chaos in the world range from anger to confusion to total helplessness.

The ridiculous pain that is experienced by humanity is often more than I can take, and a good dose of non-real western passivity is all I can do to keep sane.

But the question still haunts me. Why does God allow it?

It occurs to me that there might be a different answer than "it's the result of sin in the world"....

What if God's mercy is the reason? What if it could all be over if God would just put his foot down? Would we still want the chaos to end if it meant that God forced us to worship him- if we were forced to "bow the knee"? What if he is waiting? What if he is patient? What if true worship must be a choice?

God's mercy and patience has created a world where we are free to worship ourselves and our own creations.

Sometimes I wish he would put an end to it, but I think I'd be part of the "end".... His dominion will only be forced when he chooses- and love will rule. If we'd get it through our heads that his rule exists where love reigns, we'd be making it happen instead of whining about the chaos....

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Tim Bailey