post-postscript to my last post .. .

i been thinking ..
i wrote this 'critique' on a book

today a workmate and i were talking
and we were reminded of a comment in Scripture .. .
Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 
For with the judgement you make 
   you will be judged, 
and the measure you give 
   will be the measure you get. 

and i remembered another conversation
when another friend told me
when we judge
we raise the standard of the judgement we receive ..
very interesting thought methinks ..
the harsher i judge someone
the harsher my judgement will be
i keep raising the bar of my own judgement

i'm on this chageoflife journey
and the codewords are like
grace
     gracious
  joy
         love
peace
      communicate
   humility
              listen first
    loving
  patience
         kindness
    goodness (1 translation says 'generosity')
  lovely
                self-control or moderation
  faithful
                      love ..

included in there are the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5)
and the prelude goes like this, in part
 .. you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only, don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, rather serve one another through love. 
For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. 
But if you bite and devour one another, watch out ! or you will be consumed by one another.
I say then, walk in the spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit desires what is against the flesh; they are opposed to each other ..

so when i go around bashing this guy
   because i disagree (strongly) with him on certain (key) issues ...
i ask my self
" self, am i fleshing or spiriting  ? "

am i loving  ?
         caring  ?
   being gracious  ?
listening  ?
               being patient
   communicating  ?
        showing kindness  ?
being humble  ?
  and so on  ?  ?

ahhhmmmmmmm  ,.....
no

so then
i was too harsh with the gentleman
my brother
who is looking to see the church of Jesus reformatted
to focus on faith as a do-word
rather than a name for believing stuff
   and then going about our business as if nothing has changed
      because nothing had
and focus on Jesus as example
rather than only a person to adore and worship
   and hold up as some out-of-this-world impossible standard
   that we cannot ever achieve
pieinthesky christianity that changes me not
rather than disciple/follower/dowhathedoes kinda thing ..

the man's got a point ..
and as much as i disagree with some of his points in making his point
i need to give him room to speak
and i need to be listening

not that i've changed my thinking on my thinking
   yet
it's simply that
for the body of Jesus in the Earth to move ahead
undo the mess it has caused
and start doing Jesus
we have to talk
be willing to listen
communicate
humbly ..
'cause i ain't God

so i'll listen to the dude

something good may well rub off on me
and i need all the somethings good i can get

something about iron sharpening iron
kindathingy


shalom