Ever notice how much humility and kindness work together?
Recently Megan and I were listening to a podcast where we heard an emerging church pastor say something so profound we had to stop the podcast and rewind it a few times to let it sink in.
"Isn't it interesting that the more right I think I am the less nice I think I have to be."
Wow.
It's so true, even in my own life.
The more adamant we are about believing that "we" have a corner on the truth and "they" don't the more we feel that we are entitled to unkindly beat that fact over other people's heads.
Isn't that what Jesus was getting at with the Pharisees?
And ironically they were the ones that Jesus said had missed the point!
And if we are totally factually right and yet are unkind and arrogant about it, ironically it is at that very moment that we become wrong...
May we pursue Truth and in the process be both right and kind.
facinating insight... what an important perspective to remember in the midst of crucial conversations... thanks for sharing
Posted by: Scott | October 09, 2007 at 12:37 PM
I am really gettin' this man...
I think of Peter: "always be ready to tell... but tell it with gentleness and respect"
Posted by: Tomislav | October 09, 2007 at 08:56 PM
Sometimes the truth is not what is right in the mind of man, but what is right in the Eyes of God.
Posted by: Stan | October 09, 2007 at 11:12 PM
That is very profound thank you for sharing this!
Posted by: Paul Morgun | October 10, 2007 at 01:11 AM
Great thoughts. I totally agree and Jesus wants us to be broken, which requires humility and kindness.
Posted by: Kevin Davis | October 10, 2007 at 06:38 AM
True truth is revealed to us by God... it's not anything we do on our own. That's humbling in itself...
Posted by: Brooke | October 10, 2007 at 07:09 AM
JR,
You know, the only way I can understand Phil 3 "..all of us who are mature should take such a view of things and if on some point you feel differently, that too, God will make clear to you ..." is that Paul was more concerned with spiritual growth (growth in our r'ship with Christ) than the Philippians (and therefore himself and us)being right on big or little things. Where do we lose that view? In a way denying this denies the Gospel.
Regards, Doug
Posted by: DougG | October 10, 2007 at 08:58 PM