- 1 Peter 4:12 (NKJV) Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you…
Yesterday I wrote about being optimistic and constructive. Nothing has changed…
However, being optimistic and even constructive is not enough, there are a lot of complicated, conflicted, confused and cantankerous people out there who could care less that you and I are optimistic or constructive. They have their agendas and axes to grind and if we’re not careful, it will be us they are grinding on!
So here’s the flip side of the optimistic and constructive coin.Not only be optimistic and constructive, also be realistic and questioning.
Sometimes Christians are terrible with this. Because we are such Bible-centered people our life is steeped in biblical history and values. This is not all bad – we must forever remain strangers in this world (Hebrews 11:13). However, when we begin to operate under the assumption that non-believers should join us in our “Bible world” we set ourselves up for a huge headache!
Be realistic…the United States of America has never been and never will be “Israel”. There is no King David on the way to save America and Washington D.C. or any other city for that matter will ever be the New Jerusalem. It just ain’t going to happen.
Be realistic…people are sinners (even the saved ones) and they are going to act like sinners (even the saved ones…sometimes // except, of course for you and me).
Why can’t people get this?
Does it mean that we stop being optimistic and constructive? Of course not, being realistic just give us the proper context in which to be optimistic and constructive.
We’re talk about the questioning part of the equation tomorrow…Lord willing (I must be realistic about making predictions // James 4:13-14).
In the meantime, keep being optimistic and constructive…realistically…
The ONE THING 