I don't want to hear it

I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.

—John 8:24

 

I always try to put myself in these peoples shoes, when I read verses like this one. I bet they knew Jesus from childhood and now there friend claims to be the messiah and throws something like this at them? Knowing me,  I would need to have time for myself and think. Works been busy this week, just trying to get caught up, things are working out, but just need to work more hours to and try to relax too. Sip some coffee, I read and think. I imagine a relative at the age of 30 approaching me and saying this. How do i respond? I'd probably say "really". Knowing me, I would watch him and really evaulate everything he does. It's that old friend that wants you to join him to get rich. I just can't do that. Whenever I'm caught off guard, regardless of what it is, I always stall especially if the person is cornering me or something. I respect everyone to begin with, until I feel them out, then I place them into a category: flakey, genius, smarter than me, not my type. Don't get me wrong, I'll still talk to the people but will put my empathetic face on and and just live with it. Its tough when someone claims what Christ claimed. In this day and age, I can imagine christ getting a sarcastic response from someone, like "great, I want to go to hell", yet the truth would make them think. I'm reminded of this multi-church mens weekend I was just at called Thrive. This years theme was Fearless. We had 12 churches that attended, so about 410 men showed up at Lost Canyon. The Men's camp consisted of opportunity to address your personal problems with fellow men. The stuff that men need to share with me, the stuff we tend to keep stuffed inside, the stuff we don't care about or consider forgettable. We discovered that a weekend just isn't enough. Us men were hit between the eyes with 4 speakers that spoke about being fearless. Its tough when God speaks and you know he's right. Hits me, I ran into several different men at this retreat that really were direct with me about my marriage, my life, everything. I didn't like it, because I wasn't expecting it. The people weren't expecting one of there own to be the Messiah, but he was. Sometimes I don't expect someone I know to tell me what i don't want to here. God had plans for me that weekend, plans to reveal things to me, that I wasn't expecting. I needed to listen, which I didn't at times, but I needed the directness. He showed me, I don't need to understand why, I just need to let be in me, and let go.