Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, July 27, 2021.

One day my family was out for a walk along a sidewalk that runs directly beside a road. Usually on these treks, my wife and I tried to put ourselves between our kids and the road. On this particular day, our youngest, who may have been five or six at the time, got excited about something he saw in the road and bolted toward the street. At that very moment a car was coming and in a split second I grabbed him by his neck and snatched him out of the road, just in time. With my hand still around his throat, I scolded him.

I'm am an imperfect father and there's a lot about that incident I regret. Shortly after the incident I kneeled down, hugged and apologized to him because I knew that I had scared him. But, was I rough with my son because I was angry with him or because I did not love him? Far from it! His life was dear to me and I was willing to use every means at my disposal to save his life. And, I was angry, not at him, but at the threat to his life.

I find myself ashamed and heartbroken today for our failing as so-called Christians, for the damage we're doing by using Christ's name and the church to justify ourselves and further our own interests rather than ministering, healing and binding up. I am very angry! But, the Holy Spirit impresses it upon me to remember that I am dealing with those God loves. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believes in Him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting…" -John 3:16. If in my anger, I desire anyone's harm, I am in sin and that spirit is not of God. (Luke 9:55)

All that I do must flow out of God's heart for people. God loves them and His desire is that they may live and not perish. Whatever our gift, whatever our ministry, this is its fountainhead: God's love expressed in the person of Christ. I could preach the most powerful sermon, I could articulate the most profound exegesis, I could give the most compelling argument, I could be indisputably factually correct, but if I fail on this one point; to express the love of God, I'm dead wrong. Because, that's the whole point.

So, whether we're of the same mind, walking by the same rule or if I'm compelled to snatch others out of the fire, whatever I do should be done in love. #preachingtomyself