I like to think of myself as a very tolerant person. I like to think I don't actually hate people, they are just not a necessity for my survival. I like to think that I am nice to everyone equally and never show the feelings that someone's actions may cause underneath. I like to think that I am fairly good at judging my own tolerance levels and adjusting them as needed to reach appropriate presets.
However, once in a while, I have to use distance as my control knob. Either physical, actually removing myself from the area, or psychological, merely close myself off, remove the ability to see the true me.
This happens most often when I meet a false front. A person with hypocritical lifestyle. Words of one caliber and actions of another very different one. Duplicity of every kind is my abhorrent. Nothing rubs me instantly in the wrong way as insincerity. And nothing is more likely for my conflict avoiding self to rise up against. If ever I were to address an issue, it would likely be this one. Maybe even if it were not "my business"; because in actuality, where else does the "You are your brother's keeper" concept apply? In this issue that caused Jesus to say "Thou hypocrites..." {"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. Matthew 23:25 NASB} And "I never knew you!" {Matt. 7:20-23} {"So then, you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:20 NASB} That God says will cause Him to "spew you out of His mouth..." {Rev. 3:16} I think perhaps He cared enough to instruct us. How can we walk blithely through life never addressing the issues? Especially those that are in fact very very basically salvific in nature. It is as bad as saying "It is not for me to judge..." and not helping a fellow Christian identify, address and correct a habitual sin. However, That is a whole other blog post. For now, Suffice it to say, {What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:1, 2 NASB}
If you read much of my blog, you may actually notice this trending as a topic in my rants. I would apologize, but then, this is MY blog and I really don't want to practice what I preach against. I am not sorry, just sorry if I have offended you.
:)
Lady Anne
