Time for a Family Meeting.

Some of the best advice I ever read was "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because they only produce quarrels."  In other words, arguments only produce more arguments.  Isn't that a perfect picture of our culture right now though?  We are ripe with strife and it is everywhere.

Here's the thing though.  You can not argue with someone about their personal experience.  You can not debate right or wrong over someone's personal story.  I want to provide you a perfect example, here is an abbreviated version of my own personal experiences:

As a child, my parents were not a consistent presence in my life. They were just not capable of taking care of me at times and for that reason I was left to live with other people. My childhood was so unstable that by the time I turned 18, I had lived in 13 different homes. Not one of those environments was a healthy functioning household and I experienced nearly every type of abuse that exists.

As a child, I believed in God, in Jesus. On the night of my 12^th birthday, I prayed with a child-like faith a very sincere prayer. “Please let me die tonight, God. I don't want to live anymore. Please don't let me wake up tomorrow.”

I was so disappointed in God's unanswered prayer, I vowed I would no longer follow a God that would not help me. So for the next 10 years, I became my own primary abuser in every way.

When I was 23, the road I had been running on came to a dead-end.

It was at that time, I experienced God's love. God's forgiveness. God's mercy.

God's love for me simply could not answer the earnest prayer of my 12 yr old self.

God's forgiveness covered the multitude of sins from the former 10 years of my life.

God's mercy was new every morning, as I fumbled through following him for the next 18 years.

I have embraced that Jesus Christ died to set me free.

I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that the power of Jesus Christ has moved in my life in ways I never could have imagined.

I know, that I know, my mind has been renewed and I really am a new creation only because of the power of Jesus Christ in my life.

I have loved Jesus for some time now and I've learned so much from this relationship. I often, Often! stumble but I'm never condemned for it. Instead, my savior encourages me to stand up, try again. He gently reminds me, I'm not alone, he is with me. He is for me, not against me.  

That is my personal testimony of Jesus Christ.

Let me ask you; what are you going to argue about with me in my personal story?

God doesn't exist?
He does to me.
God isn't powerful?
He is to me.
God can't change people?
He changed me.


A few years ago I read the book "Speak" by Nish Weiseth which really opened my eyes to the value of sharing a story instead of an opinion. You can debate all day over opinions but you CAN NOT argue with someone's personal experiences.

Here is my point, stay out of the foolish and stupid arguments that are one-dimensional.  There is no winning these arguments.  Instead talk about you own personal experiences and tell your own personal stories.  That will have a much greater impact than debating the rights or wrongs of these controversial topics that can't be won. The advice that the Paul gave in 2 Timothy 2:23 to stay out of foolish and stupid arguments because they only create more quarrels was sage advice and we would be wise to follow it.

 
*steps off soapbox*