Draft soup

 For every published blog post, there are so many more that wind up in the trash.  I start one, then don't finish it.  Usually it's because of a nudge from the Holy Spirit to tell me not to write this or that.  I can't take credit for that.  Infrequently it's because of my own thought that this or that might be a dumb thing to say.  It's nice to have an editor that's engaged in not only the publishing process, but in the creative process as well.  With the Holy Spirit as a guide, I write much better than I ever could on my own.

Yesterday I was in the middle of writing a post about false prophesies.  And in the middle of it, I got off on a rabbit trail about not judging because I have that beam in my own eye.  Sometimes I can get it out just far enough to see that it's probably more wise to worry about my own sins than commenting on the sins of others.  Christians have God's word at their disposal and the tools and wisdom to discern truth are available to each as they are to me.  In short, that's not my job.  And if it's not my gig, then maybe I should just make my own judgments about those things and keep them to myself or comment in appropriate conversations with other believers.

I think Ed Stetzer's piece in USA Today last week was an appropriate commentary on the church in America these days and it's far better said from someone like him than someone like me, anyway.  And today, I saw a glimmer of hope that maybe it's getting through.  I think in the shadow of the attack on DC and the attempted coup (strong words, but these times call for plain truth and that's exactly what that was) some folks are starting to gather their wits about them and start seeing things as they are.

As our Constitution provides, we have a new President.  And it made me happy to read a report that Franklin Graham said we should give the guy a chance.  Not everything he's going to do is going to make us happy.  He is still our president.  God gave us the last one.  God then gave us this one.  Maybe if we turn back to God, in four years we will have two better choices to pick from.  Until then, we need to be praying for Mr. Biden because it's our responsibility as Christians to do so.

Anyway, back to the ones you don't read.  If I had published yesterday's, I'd be swallowing a bit of crow because someone who I almost said a critical thing about is kind of switching gears.  I'm happy about that and glad it happened without me being snarky or looking like a jerk about it.  I did pray for that person, but realized that if I'm not regularly supporting his ministries then I probably don't really have any business criticizing how that person performs in his roles.  I can disagree with that person and realize that no one person represents the Church other than Christ Himself.  It's HIS!  I'm just a part of the body.  It's far better left in His hands to run.

It doesn't absolve me of doing my part.  I get to do things for Jesus in my time here, like being a blessing to someone, or showing hospitality, or getting to tell others about Him.  That's my part.   Being a poison pen is not.

So that's why a lot of times you see gaps inbetween posts.  Other times, it's because what's going on is only fit for a prayer journal.  I'm grateful to God for the Spirit who gives me words to write and the good sense not to publish the ones that are unfit to read.