What I Learned From Myself

On several occasions, I’ve heard believers in my life share something such as this: “A preacher really can’t speak on something he hasn’t experienced himself”.

I often think about that principle. There might be a morsel of truth in there somewhere, but I can’t completely get behind it. What do you think of that? If I’ve never stolen anything or had anything taken from me, does that mean I can’t speak against thievery? Are we limited in our speech to only things that we have had personal experience with?

I suppose there is an authority we lack whenever we address something that hasn’t touched our lives, but I believe we do ourselves a disservice if we limit ourselves to our own experience.

I’ve spent so many tiresome hours reading through Alien Love. Even though I am the author, there are elements of the work under which I fall completely short. Last night as I read it, for what I hope will be the last time, I came across this question:

“Why bother, if nothing awaits us here on earth other than prison, chains and death?”

The question I was addressing in this specific chapter was, ‘Why bother serving, if we don’t accomplish the goals we set out to do?’ Why not give up when the going proves to be intolerable?’ I’m obviously thicker than most of you. I wrote these words about three years ago, and they finally hit me last night.

You see. I’ve been rather down lately. I’ve been editing Alien Love for like three years and I’m tired. Every time I think I’m done, it becomes apparent that I need to go one more round. Here is how I answered the question three years ago.

“What about the man or the woman serving on your right or your left? What if they needed to see in you, the same kind of perseverance that they needed for themselves in order to accomplish their work in Christ? Would that be worth it? What if, by chance, you needed to take your post in the church, if for no other reason than to hold up that person on your right or your left? What if God never intended you to have followers of your own? (As if that was ever how it was supposed to work.) Even the soldiers of our earthly nations serve out of obligation for their fellow soldiers. How much more should we?”

As I read that paragraph, it became plain. It took three years, but finally, the attitude of the preacher fell in line with his message. Was it a mistake to have written them, since I had yet to believe the message itself? Even though I hadn’t truly experienced the truth of these words in 2008, I needed them last night.

I realized part of the purpose in what I’m doing, even if my works themselves come to fail. The man on my right and the woman on my left, need me to hold my ground, in the same way that I need them to hold theirs.

So my question for you this evening is as follows:

“Who are the people on your right and on your left? Who are the ones who need you to assume your role in the body of Christ? Are you being faithful in that role, regardless of how tiresome it may be?”

Night!

Kevin

PS By the way. I tend to forget a lot of the lessons I learn. Don't be surprised if I forget this one.