Note From Nashville: Some Wisdom

Just home from a conference in Nashville, and was thinking: 

The more I move into this world of Christian speaking, the more I’m learning about landmines. You know, the traps and trip-wires I have to navigate. 

Here’s something I’m learning: be careful. Be careful of triggering words (names) that lead to barriers. The climate in the U.S. is tense and skittish.

Here’s an example: When you write a book, it’s a good idea to get people to endorse your work. Of course depending on who endorses you, you can label yourself and in the blink of an eye, be deemed irrelevant. This happens everywhere, but it certainly happens among Christians. 

What I find frustrating is I’m not only one thing. 

“Oh, she reads this author. She’s this.”

“Oh, she’s friends with this person. She’s that.”

Liberal. Conservative. Republican. Democrat. Evangelical. Heretic.

It’s all just so darn annoying!

Someone recently heard me say one thing, and went off on what he assumed I therefore felt and believed about everything. Wrong. Flat out wrong. 

Now, just because I don’t grand stand on any of these labels doesn’t mean I have a grab-bag theology. Every issue I continue to wrestle with through prayer, engaging with Scripture and people, all kinds of thinking, living, loving people.

I’ve got you in mind, ‘cause you’re gonna be facing the same issues over turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce. Know what I mean?

The division in society, in families and in the Church around politics, or just a totally different world-view, is real. So what do we do?

• Pray before you show up. Ask God to give you a humble, loving heart.

• Listen. Seek to understand where people are coming from. Even forfeit your need to be understood.

Finally: 

Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  (Proverbs 2:1-6)

Just thought I’d share what I was thinking.

Much love,

Nancy

I’m real because God is so real.