By Jimmo ~
I recently had the pleasure of spending half a day relaxing in a spa. At least that was the intention...relaxing!
As I was sat sweating it out, reading Scientific Mind magazine, a guy came into the sauna cabin and asked me what I was reading. This began a very pleasant and progressive conversation about all manner of things. Until I asked what he did for a living. (I should have known better, but hindsight is the clearest vision). He belonged to a local charismatic church and regularly preached open air in the town centre. (Not a mis-spelling...I'm English).
I contemplated for a few moments and eventually summoned the courage to say "I used to do that too. But I no longer go to church." To which he replied, "Oh, you're one of the lost of Israel."
Ouch! That really hurt!
With one throw away comment he managed to touch my deepest neuroses. All of a sudden I was facing the fear of hell, guilt of abandoning Jesus and the faith I had held for nearly 40 years and the insecurity of a future unknown.
Did he know what he was doing by saying that?
The generous part of me would like to say that he was blissfully ignorant of the pain he caused me. I had thought I was making good progress in my journey away from fundamental Christianity, but this one comment made me realise that I still have a very, very long way to go. It's hard being one of the lost of Israel.
As I was sat sweating it out, reading Scientific Mind magazine, a guy came into the sauna cabin and asked me what I was reading. This began a very pleasant and progressive conversation about all manner of things. Until I asked what he did for a living. (I should have known better, but hindsight is the clearest vision). He belonged to a local charismatic church and regularly preached open air in the town centre. (Not a mis-spelling...I'm English).
I contemplated for a few moments and eventually summoned the courage to say "I used to do that too. But I no longer go to church." To which he replied, "Oh, you're one of the lost of Israel."
Ouch! That really hurt!
With one throw away comment he managed to touch my deepest neuroses. All of a sudden I was facing the fear of hell, guilt of abandoning Jesus and the faith I had held for nearly 40 years and the insecurity of a future unknown.
Did he know what he was doing by saying that?
The generous part of me would like to say that he was blissfully ignorant of the pain he caused me. I had thought I was making good progress in my journey away from fundamental Christianity, but this one comment made me realise that I still have a very, very long way to go. It's hard being one of the lost of Israel.
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