Jean-eric Con-denim-ation

Please watch video first….

So, as funny as this video is, and as much as I would LOVE to say that I hadn't had this conversation with people from my church…I have. I have sat down with some people/persons and been told that dressing casual can be seen as a reflection of the heart and could be seen as someone taking a casual approach to their relationship with God.

How do I even rebuttal? Well, I am sure many of you have already thought of several of my rebuttals, so I won't go exhaustively into all of mine.

But I have to say this…because I am not going into all the other rebuttals…this argument…

Absolutely

Hurts

My heart!

It makes me tired, and all the other arguments like it, these types of things make me so weary and honestly…it absolutely makes me unhappy.

In recent days I have been yelled at for having a sip of coffee in a large covered mug in the sanctuary (before church time) because it was, "holy ground". I have been told to "SHUUUUUSH" for trying to gently play my guitar during prayer time, although it is ok for the piano to do so. I have had the discussion about jeans in church as well and a few others. I have had digs tossed at me about how I go about doing what I do in ministry. I have had people try to impose their will into my ministry even though it isn't their ministry to impose their will.

So…why?

Why do I do what I do…and the only thing I can think of is…is because even though these issues are so huge to those people that push them…in all reality, and to me…I have bigger and more important things to do then to play these games. I don't have coffee in the sanctuary any more, I don't play my guitar during prayer, I don't wear jeans to Sunday morning services, and while I take stands in protecting the ministry God has placed me in…I still let people be as involved as they wish…within reason.

So am I a complete pushover? Nope. In each of the cases listed (except the shush whom I am not sure who did it, since they did it from the midst of the congregation while I was on stage) I addressed the situation head on, I told them fully that I disagreed, and told them the only reason I was going to not do those things anymore was because I loved them, not because they were wrong.

I am tired of fighting, and to be honest, I need prayer because my leash of submission is getting shorter and shorter. I pray to have a gentle strength, and I may realize that as great as it is to have that…the cost of attaining it may be a lot higher than I imagined.

There may be more to this later….but for now…

So plods the simpleMan.