More of the story: Persecuting God

(Paul) fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ~ Acts 9:4-5
We must never underestimate our power to be wrong, when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God. ~ Brian McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy

Never underestimate our power to be wrong.

 If it's true for Saul, it sure is true for us, isn't it?

 Saul/Paul had the right pedigree. He had the training, the knowledge, the birthright. Everything you need to be 100% certain you are on the right hand of God. He just knew he was on God's team. That he was one of the chosen ones.

 He knew who God was. He knew how God worked. He knew that when this group of people calling themselves the People of the Way started talking about God, they HAD to be wrong. 

 So they were definitely worth persecuting.

 But Jesus told Saul something different. Jesus said when you are persecuting them, you are persecuting me.

 In other words, you are persecuting God.

 It was humbling for Saul. And it should be humbling for us.

 Are we sure we know who's in and who's out? Do we know a group or person or idea are wrong ways of seeing God?

 Are we threatened by a group or person or idea that have something different to say about God than we are used to?

 Never underestimate our power to be wrong.

 But also never underestimate God's power to make our wrongs right.
Prayer: Grant me the humility to accept the things I am wrong about and the compassion and integrity admit it so that I can have a more generous and expansive understanding of you. Amen











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