Hello bro,

There is this little game we learned growing up in our respective backgrounds that suggests that we MUST be nice. Of course, the nice thing to do would be to grant the request of those who ask of you. The belief that you and I need to respond on the superficial level forces us to be superficial along with them.

With Dave’s request it is no different. I’m sure you are wondering, What does he really want?. Don’t allow yourself to be forced into playing his game because of some kind of guilt feelings that you are being divisive and mean; for that is not what is really going on here, is it? Why not just confront him on this request and ask him what’s really going on? Remember, you’ve already come to the end of his issue with you and you realized it was a dead end road. There is no need to even discuss it with him or to allow him to come in and bring up that issue OR another issue.

Just remember that Paul of Tarsus wrote some pretty confrontational stuff about cutting off such situations. But we tell ourselves that it sounds too harsh — and maybe even legalistic — so we ignore those perceived opinions Paul had for we are obviously more gracious than he was!! Yeah, right! The simple fact is that when these little games are confronted and dealt with they will appear to our civilized morals as wrong. But Paul dealt with REAL communication and interaction. Our stinking culture convinces us that being superficial is the right thing to do.

You have been made alive and have been given the eyes of the Spirit. Do not be afraid to find out what is behind the facade, and refuse to fall into the lie that you must respond with the rules of death we learned in this world.

Love, Jim