Sharon Hodde Miller : Aug 9, 2019
Christianitytoday.com
"Jesus was loving. He was gracious. He was forgiving. He was kind. But he was not nice ... He became the embodiment of rugged love." -Sharon Hodde Miller
[Christianitytoday.com] God did not call you to be nice. This statement has been rattling around in my head for well over a year now, and I haven't been able to shake it. It has reemerged at crucial moments, not as an excuse to be snarky, angry, or rude, but because I have noticed something going on in my heart, and in the Church, for a while now: A competing allegiance. A warm and inviting idolatry that has managed to wedge itself between us and true obedience to Christ. (Image: Pixabay)
For as long as I can remember, I have loved to be nice—not just loved but needed—and it is an identity I have struggled to leave behind. I want to be accepted, and I want to be embraced. As a lifelong nice girl, I have not only felt this pressure but I have also caved in to it often. The need to be nice has influenced my ministry as well as my relationships. I have backed away from hard conversations or softened my convictions, opting instead for the wide gate of niceness... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here
Click here to continue reading.
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE