Practicing what I preach...

So on Wednesdays in Seminary, I've been taking this class on Developing Leaders who Develop Leaders. It's been quite the show, I must say! This has been by far one of the most educational classes I've ever taken. One of the topics we're going over is about taking risks with people and opening up the opportunity to get hurt as we speak Truth in love to them. After all, that is totally what Jesus has done for us all. Anyway, in light of the recent marital tragedies I've experienced and the ever mounting pressure from the devil to fail at any given moment has caused me to be very sensitive to people and there actions toward the opposite sex.

I'm reading a new book called "Hedges" by Jerry Jenkins on building and growing hedges of protection in your marriage and quite frankly, it is an awesome book so far. It talks about how as men, the devil will sneak up on us and tempt up before we ever know what is happening and if we don't put up these hedges, then it may be too late. I totally am plugging this book! Go buy it and read it. Married or not, it'll help you out tremendously.

So this one particular guy in class (wonderfully awesome, humble and graciously spirited man of God) has shown compassion to an otherwise vulnerable person of the opposite sex. This was not sexual in nature, neither even sensual. It was purely motivated by a heart to serve the person and show them the love of Christ. What he however failed to understand was how dangerously close he could have been to getting this vulnerable female emotionally tied to himself, a more than happily married guy, well on his way to pastorship.

The Holy Spirit totally jabbed my ribs on this one. I felt the conviction laid upon my heart to share the dangerous position he had put himself in and was totally chicken to do it. I began to feel the spiritual warfare rise up within me. But in light of the gruesome tragedies I've witnessed recently, as outlined before, I could not nor would not allow this uncomfortable feeling deep within my stomach to sway me and conquer in the name of sin. No, Christ would win this time. At break, I tried and tried, but felt sick when thinking of approaching him. I said to myself, "self, you better at least make the contact, or you won't follow through, you yella’ bellied chicken!" So, I asked him if he'd chat with me after class. He obliged.

Class ended and I walked toward the door and waited. Not long as he was eager to meet with me to see what problems I may desire to share with him and seek his counsel after. As we neared the parking structure, we small talked and then finally he said that it was great that I'd ask him to talk with me and was curious as to how he could help me. The guy is great! I'm not insinuating pride here, he was just totally ready to serve as best as Christ would allow him. I began to unwrap this delicately fragile topic by first explaining that I was a dirt clod and hoped that he'd understand and that I hoped that these implications were TOTALLY wrong. I explained how utterly unworthy I was to even bring such charges against anyone, but that I had noticed something and wanted to warn him of it's implications.

His reaction was so Christ-like and very humble. I couldn't believe it. He looked at me in awe and was like; I'd never have seen that coming. I explained that what I've learned from my wife is that most of the time, we are dumb, blind men and don't see the warning signs until its too late. I saw this one through the power of the Holy Spirit and therefore wanted to protect him. I told him that I NEVER thought that his heart was in any place other than to compassionately comfort a hurt individual, a bloodline of our fellow Christ.

What’s so interesting about this is that there is this speech or mini-sermon I'm preparing for in November on the discussion of mutual accountability in our lives. What's so awesome is that I'm getting ready to preach on the very thing that I was exercising tonight. What is so great about this is that even if my sermon is a flop, I'll know that the preparation I undertook prepared me for tonight; to face the spiritual battle and help carry a brother another step toward victory.

I praise God, our Father and give all thanks and glory to the Son, Christ Jesus our Lord for blessings to each of His kids. Through me because of Him, He is changing lives.

Hail to the King, kiddies!