I love this guy

Let me challenge you.

Proverbs 28:23
Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

There are two main identities that people tend to assign to ministers' kids:
1. The Rebel - this is the kid who hates to be associated with being the 'normal, good Christian kid' and will hate all the pressure and expectations that are often put on ministers' kids.
2. The goody-two-shoes: this is the kid that others see as a the one that always does the right thing, is super-Christian, and often people assume 'they're just doing that coz their dad's the minister'.

To be honest, I've never been the rebel - it always seem kinda stupid to me, and I never wanted to be put into that box. My parents never forced me to do anything Christian, and they always said I could leave the church they were at and go to another one if I didn't feel comfortable being 'the Minister's kid'. But I hate being associated the goody-two-shoes as well, because to me being labelled as that is to look past that I have pure motives in living the Christian life and I want to and strive to live a godly life because I think it is glorifying to God - not because I think that's how I'm meant to act as the minister's kid.

I do think we need to get past these stereotypes and to treat minister's kids as normal people - and the purpose of this post is to bring up this: in my Christian life, people rarely rebuke me. I know that as a whole, we tend to be pretty bad at this as individuals, I know I am. I hate conflict and the thought of telling someone that they are sinning and need to stop is pretty scary. But I think that people ESPECIALLY think that Ministers' kids don't need rebuking for some reason. You think that just because we live in a house next to the church we don't sin? It's true, people, I'm a sinner! I am a sinner who needs rebuking at times and I hope that people don't think that just because I'm a minister's kid that I don't need strong encouragement from God's word. It would let me know that people love me with the love that God loves me with if I was rebuked every so often!

I don't think I'll like it very much, but let me challenge you: if you know me well, and you know I need rebuking, please do it! I promise I won't bite your head off...and I know in the long run I will be better off and you'll help me to become more like Jesus.

Proverbs 3: 11-12
11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

Proverbs 9:8
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.

Proverbs 13:1
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.

Proverbs 17:10
A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool

Proverbs 19:25
Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

Proverbs 25:12
Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.

Proverbs 27:5
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

Proverbs 29:1
Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Forty three

I know in my head that we find purpose in being in relationship with God. This is THE purpose of life, right? Yes, I agree.

Then how come I feel so listless? That my life doesn't really have any set direction? I feel like I am cruising along in life.....yes, taking opportunities as they come, but not having an overall purpose.

Does anyone else feel this way? Sometimes I feel guilty because I know that as a Christian I DO have purpose, but I often don't feel fulfilled. We have the job of spreading the gospel, that is a great job to have. I'd love to have other goals as well, personal ones.

I feel like 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'....but I'm not quite sure what I'm looking for. I'm hoping it's a phase that will pass because it is really just a feeling - I know I have purpose in Jesus Christ and building relationship with God and other people. I just don't feel it at the moment.