Thoughts on A Gentle Answer by Scott Sauls

                        

              Thoughts on A Gentle Answer:  In a World of Us Against Them

                                                   by Scott Sauls

Ok,  it's official.  It's brain damage.  Thankfully not dementia or Alzheimers - just "white spots". Those of  you who know me well, know I've always been a bit squirrely.  But this time with my chronic malady of sinus infections that this time is causing strange symptoms like dizziness (ok, friends, I mean, worse than usual - to the point of not being able to walk straight without assistance), "white spots" showed up on my MRI.   Some of those come naturally as we age, but people with chronic issues get them sooner - chronic  issues like my thorn of  sinus infections - (wonder if that was Paul's thorn, too?) -  even high cholesterol can cause them.  I've always known that the first sign of a sinus infection is that I begin to do crazy forgetful things - but at least now I know why.  Will be going to a neurologist to see if it is signaling MS or something else.  In the meantime, I'm thankful that I can go on with life, as my relatively normal, abnormal self.  

As I begin this health journey to check these new findings out, I am more committed to blog, not just to share my thoughts with others, but to help me remember thoughts that touch my heart.  I always consider those "thought bubbles from God" that make me take pause and want to lock them in my mind.  But, at least these findings on the MRI validate that there is a reason I need to write them down.  

So, I decided there are plenty of bloggers out there.  Therefore,  I've decided to spend time writing down thoughts from others that touch me, perhaps summarizing some books for people that might want a Cliff Note version of some books they haven't had time to read.

I'm starting with a book that I just studied at church with other ladies eager to know how to navigate the difficulty of the polarized world we live in as Christians.  How do we stand up for the truth of the Bible when it's looked on as being intolerant?  How do we handle the dissention of the times and decide what we are to do as Christians politically when even asking questions that we're wondering about causes outrage from those who have decided what their opinion is, and become incensed when others might not agree, or even are trying to decide their position on an issue?  How do we tear down the dividing walls of hostility? How do we express righteous anger against wrong without taking offense, shaming and slandering?  How do we be like Jesus, who rather than shaming and scolding sinners, welcomed them and ate with them? Whether conservative or progressive, how do we avoid, in our passionate zeal against the unloving Pharisee, that we do not become unloving Phaisees ourselves, becoming a hate group who is harsh, judgemental and condemning against anyone who disagrees with us - whether it is along ideological, doctrinal, or cultural issues?  

The book, A Gentle Answer - Our Secret Weapon in an Age of Us Against Them by Scott Sauls, is a stable boat in the stream of navigating such difficult questions.  There is no way I can cover even the main points of a book when I wanted to underline something on almost each page!!!  But, if you've read any of my blogs, you'll see that one way I can make sense out of a large amount of material is with ....a poem!!  I wish I could summarize each chapter under the topic of How His Gentleness Changes Us such as We Grow Thicker Skin, We Do Anger Well, We Allow Him to Disarm the Cynic in Us, We Bless Our Own Betrayers.  But today I'll start with a poem that summarizes some of the underlines in the book that I marked with 3 Stars because they shouted out to me.  And hopefully you may want to read this masterpiece by a true, gentle Jesus follower.  And writing about it will help me remember the wisdom on each page of this beautiful book.

A Gentle Answer in a World of Us Against Them

It's a broken world we live in, 

Polarized beyond a doubt.

You see white, I see black.

No compromise can be worked out.

You see things your way,

I see them mine.

And soon it turns to hatefulness

Way too much of the time.

There is a time for anger.

Yet we're told to be angry and do not sin.

Be like Jesus, but stand for righteousness.

That's where the difficulty comes in.

Jesus overthrew the money changers.

But he never told us to. 

The message He made most prevalent

Is the one that's hardest to do.

He embraced humbleness.

He was gentle and lowly of heart.

To know how to navigate this world - 

That's precisely where we must start.

Jesus didn't take on Rome.

But He changed the world one heart at a time.

He helped us recognize the Pharisees for what they were,

But that's where He drew the line.

He let the rich young ruler go too. 
He built relationships to teach what's right.

He told us to shake the dust from our sandals,

Not to pursue those who want to fight.

He befriended and embraced.

He always gave a gentle answer.

He forgave and loved and taught,

Didn't get into arguments that can grow like a cancer.

His message was not for us to preach 

    what we think is the best way to make the world right.

His message was to preach the gospel,

To keep the kingdom of heaven always in sight.

For His kingdom is not of this world.

His Spirit is not in the form of confrontation.

Rather it's about earning the right to speak to hearts

Which is the only hope for the nations.

Peace, equality, justice and hope.

Can only come from His lead.

Love, patience, kindness and self-control

Bring the gentle answers we need.