"You have to work hard to offend Christians. By nature, Christians are the most forgiving, understanding, and thoughtful group of people I've ever dealt with. They never assume the worst. They appreciate the importance of having different perspectives. They're slow to anger, quick to forgive, and almost never make rash judgments or act in anything less than a spirit of total love . . . No, wait--I'm thinking of Labrador retrievers!" David Learn, 1998

Friday, December 16, 2011

Glimpses of Grace 20: "You're hearing voices"



     On October 9, we emailed the denunciation I believe God directed me to write to each of the elders, none of whom ever acknowledged it. But some of their wives still acknowledge it by their body language. The senior's pastor's wife maintains a profile chiseled in stone, never glancing in my direction. Another, a greeter at the door to the social hall where we are holding services during the remodeling of the sanctuary, hands my husband a bulletin and immediately lifts her chin and turns her head as if to greet someone behind her, although there is nothing there but a wall. 
     There is one elder I will call Healer. His wife is the one who prayed for me so tenderly in Agape, the same woman who told WOW "I love you but I can't speak with you." I will call her Hospitality. Someone forwarded to us an email from her in which she testified beautifully to her faith in Christ alone and called Healer "my dear husband--who is the kindest man I know."
     ". . . There may be personality conflicts in our body, but I do not believe the pastor and our men are trying to "take over" and deceive us. I will continue to love my Savior here. We had the honor of leading a lady to Christ 2 Sundays ago. She heard our pastor and said that it was several things that he said that made a difference for her.
     "If someone said there is some other way to secure salvation other than through the blood of Christ, then I would fight. Until then, I will 'commit myself unto the one who judges justly'.
     She also (briefly) blasted me: "By the way, there is someone different to call on the prayer requests because the previous person said she is getting counseling and "other things" which she stated herself in a class. This person also called out a name and condemned someone (publicly) who was not even there to defend themselves.  She has sent letters as if she is God speaking. I am sorry, but I would never write a letter as if I am the voice of God. How dare I?!
     "This is not godly, it is unstable. .  ."
     She signed herself, "Safely and securely in the Arms of Jesus"


     "Jerry," I said after reading this, "I didn't mention JE's name, did I? I'm sure I didn't!"
     "You mentioned Hatchet Man by name."
     "I did? I didn't mean to."
     "At the end. You got a little emotional."
     "That's right. I did. I'm sorry."
       
     After the "Letter from God," Mrs. Music Man continued to greet and be kind to me in choir but she was struggling to understand. After choir rehearsal the first night after I sent God's response to the elders she, Jerry and I stood out in the chilly night and talked. She asked how I could "write as if I were God" and she listened as I tried to explain why I believe God wrote the letter through me. When I finished she referred gently to my "hearing voices" and said I was hurting people.
     I can certainly appreciate how these people could see it that way. In their shoes, I am sure I would too.  


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