Impact

In the last week I've been exposed to both sides of the impact we have on the lives around us.
In visiting Roanoke I discovered the scope and depth I effected peoples lives there. I thought after a few months I was a forgotten face or a whisper of a memory. As I ran into person after person they shared about how much they've missed me and wished I would come back.

I have to admit, it was nice that no one said, "Man, am I glad you left!Things are so much better now that you're gone." If anyone thought it they didn't say it or come even close to expressing that. When I left Roanoke I knew I was moving away from some great friends. What I didn't realize was all the hearts I touched while I was there. It's amazing the positive impact we have on people just by being ourselves.

Conversely, I'm also growing to realize the impact of sorrow we can have on people around us. A teen in one of our local high schools recently hung himself and it's overwhelming how it effects even people who didn't know him. For some I think it serves as a reminder of finity of man. For others it's hard to believe some one was hurting so bad and we never knew.

He had no clue the impact his one momentary decision would create. He never imagined the tidal waves it would create through the halls of his school, where he felt so unnoticed. He was well know and liked by most of the students and the popularity was no comfort to him.
If he knew the impact he had on those around him would he have hung from the ceiling that night?

Super Friends

Last Night I had potenially the night of my year!!

A family who I got really close to during the 3 months I lived in Virginia flew me down for a week, which included taking in Winterjam here in Roanoke. At Winterjam Hawk Nelson, my favorite band, played. It blew me away. I not only got to meet them, but I also got to talk to them and found out they sometimes visit Moncton and Jason wants to move to PEI.

I'm beside myself at how the Hancocks would give me such a great gift. I've never rocked it out so hard at a concert before. Now that the concert is over we get to share this memory. I also ended up on the local news, and hopefully the words I spoke God will use to promopt a heart to go to church this Sunday. At the concert 126 people committed their lives to Christ.

When I got home form the concert my Super friend, Jackie, called. We seem to grow closer with every phone call. For thos who don't know I'm dating a girl I met on the internet. We meet on a christian singles forum. Neither of us was looking for a relationship, single people just seem to be more talkative. Anyways, we talked as friends and a mutual attraction developed. WE spent 2 months REALLY getting to know each other asking the hard questions and then decided to start a dating. Best decision I've made since I decided to come on staff at River Valley.

These are my Super Friends who make my life even better than before!

Death of Punishment

I've been thinking about punishment lately. A mentality I have had, and I think many others, is, "I better not sin or God will punish me". I know this isn't healthy, nor do I think it's true.
It may seem a little Calvinist, so brace yourself. Here's what I'm thinking...

The Law lays out for us what is required of us. Sin causes us to fall short of these requirements. The Law is Broken and therefore there must be punishment for the breaking of The Law. Punishment being the steps necessary to repay the wrong.

Here's a no brainer, Christ took the punishment for sin. So if Christ already paid the punishment for sin then should more punishment be dealt out?

I think with Christ's death and resurrection we saw the Death of Punishment. I think we have the GRACE of experiencing God's discipline and correction. Correction being, the quickening of the Holy Spirit as we lean towards sin, and the conviction which comes after sin. Then the discipline being the events God allows us to go through in order to develop the attributes and characteristics necessary to say "No" to Sin.

Understand we still experience the natural consequences of our actions. However, because of Christ and his grace, he makes available to us, we no longer need to make retribution or experience additional consequences in order to make right our wrong.

I would tend to think Paul in Romans, the writer of Hebrews, and James would agree with this approach.

What do you think?