Extra Grace People

"If we were faultless we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate."

Author: Francois Fenelon

Extra Grace People are everywhere. Shoot at times we ourselves may be one of them. We all have our moments. You know who they are right? Here's a list....feel free to add if you want....

1. The people who talk to loud.

2. The folks that talk so fast that even when they take a breath they refuse to let you in the conversation.

3. The "know it all", the master generalist willing to add his 2cents into everything.

4. The person who forgets body space.

5. The one who laughs so much or so loud its uncomfortable.

6. A person who brags about anything and everything.

7. The "activist" who lectures you if you don't recycle or "eat organic tofu."

8. The person that doesn't get the hint that you need to be left alone so you can work. Or that your jingling your keys because you really do have to go.

9. A person who tells the most awkward of jokes at the most awkward of times.

10. The overly sensitive types.

11. "The real men of genius."

12. The passive agressive folks.

The list could go on....

These people demand extra grace. At least that's the challenge of being a Christian and interacting with people. Doesn't mean we don't have boundaries , but who are we to deny the "annoying." Did God deny us because we are annoying to Him?

Believe me I struggle with annoying people, that's why I am writing this. I try to avoid the path of an annoying person. I try to exclude them, or find a way to quickly shut a conversation off. Sometimes you have to, but other times how good would it be for us to show grace?To actually invest in those we deem "annoying."

Not saying we need to best friends with all people, but next time you are tempted to ignore someone on purpose, or leave someone out I'd just challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and reach out to the "annoying."Be it a work lunch break, not excluding the person from the "in crowd," asking how are you doing, etc. Food for thought.

James 2:1 (NIV)

¹ My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism

The Choice of Gossip

"Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you." - unknown

"Gossip often veils itself in acceptable conventions such as "Have you heard..." or "Did you know...?" or "They tell me..." or "Keep this to yourself, but..." or "I do not believe it is true, but I heard that..." or "I wouldn't tell you, except that I know it will go no further." Of course, the most infamous such rationalization in Christian circles is, "I am telling you this so you can pray."- R. Kent Hughes

Again another thing I've been guilty of in the past, often with "good intentions." I have been the gossiper and the one gossiped about. The first is just a sense of pride which really is all about justifying how much "better" you are, the second just really hurts once you find out. I think to myself how much more respectable to go to the person you've assumed something about, rather than tell others what they may or may not be guilty of. How much better to conceal a matter until you can address with with a person who has actually wronged you for sure. While gossip seems innocent enough it eventually turns into slander.

I am encouraged lately to be a man that goes directly to someone, to speak the truth in love, and to find out the truth in a matter. Likewise be willing to listen if I've offended someone knowingly or unknowningly and admit to my faults or explain my sincereness about knowing or not knowing. I'd encourage my readers to do the same. How much more power and peace in an approach that avoids gossip by honoring the other person.

Proverbs 26:20 (HCSB)

20 Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.

Proverbs 17:9 (HCSB)

9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

Really good video by Mark Driscoll titled "Don't shoot at other Christians" , really applies to life in general, what happens when we assume and dine on gossip with others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdmJVL_-hzM

Proverbs 18:8 (NLT)
8 Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.

Leaving the NIV?

As of now I am fairly certain I'll be leaving the NIV as a my primary translation for reading and studying. The NIV (84) is truly an awesome version making the best of thought and word style translation. I am not a fan of the new 2011 revision of the NIV so I am looking into a "new" number one for my studying.

For a long time I've been reading the NIV. In terms of accuracy and understanding the meaning I think its top notch.

So leading candidates are.....

1. New Living Translation - a freer thought for thought version. I've been reading this as well for a couple years now as a strong supplement text and I really like it for the most part.

2. Holman Christian Standard Bible - an "optimal translation" striving for balance, but really resembles a word for word translation more so. A lot of people leaving the NIV are switching to this translation.

3. New King James Version - which is a word for word translation.

Ones I've essentially ruled out... ( althought I have a lot of likes about them)

1. KJV- I love this translation but I am just not prone to liking 400 year old English as a whole.

2. ESV - I think this is a healthy translation but its very rigid and archaic in language useage and structure. Not to mention I don't like the ESV only crowd, reminds me to much of the KJV only crowd. Some of my favorite teachers use this. (Driscoll, Piper etc)

3. NASB - another very healthy word for word, said to be the most accurate in terms of language of all the English translations. This is even more rigid than the ESV. In my studying of translations word for word doesn't always mean most accurate in terms of meaning.

I hate to leave the NIV, but I think it's just the right thing to do right now.