I continually realize that as much as I know about my faith and as much as I believe, there is still so much that I don't know and frankly, so much about people of other faiths and generations that really challenge me to question and redefine with God why I believe what I believe.
He helps me sift through the muck that this world and myself honestly has created. He challenges me to truly "love my neighbor" including those who could care less about my faith or even perceive me as judgmental before even knowing me.
I was challenged most humorously enough by the comedian Tim Hawkins at the conference. He was hilarious and totally made fun of others in a respectful way. He made me laugh about my believes (not in a disrespectful manner but in a 'yes that is what the world thinks about me' way). I was challenged to lighten up and to recognize that I am solely here for Christ's glory and no one else. I'm NOT here to follow a strict do-this, don't-do-that agenda. I'm here to bust the devil's plan to blind my friends and neighbors. The distortions that the devil places on them. And ya know what, it's hard...it's hard because I too doubt sometimes and I ask hard questions. Sometimes questions that I too cannot answer, but then I pray and then I believe and then I begin to actually "see" with my own eyes things that cannot be counted as 'fate' or 'coincidence'. I see Truth, I see grace, I see compassion that is not of a human source.
I see His Holy Spirit at work in me and I realize that there were times when even Jesus didn't follow the script of the Old Testament because He was moving towards redeeming us. He was moving towards LOVE and not LISTS. He was making a way when there was no way to God.
So yes I have values and opinions but I can't lose sight of Love and of the fact that maybe, Jesus wouldn't think that way about this person or this person, no in fact He loves them no matter what their views are of Him and eventually, He will have to judge as He is the only judge. My role is to simply Love and speak Truth in love.
