The Anxious Admin

To truly believe what happened on the cross —

Injustice requires our outrage and compassion. Outrage for the wound, compassion for the wounded. We do both.

When Peter says, “Respect your wives because they are co-heirs,” what the husbands were being asked to do is to lay down their rights and privileges for their wives. To lift up and empower the powerless, while forgoing their own power. This is a feminist affront to the popular thought of their society, so it’s ironic that so many of us have looked at this passage and seen it through an oppressive lens because when we take the time to peer into the cultural context, we see how liberating Peter’s message is in the way it seeks to affirm women’s autonomy as a new creation.

Listen to me.

Too often as Christians the immediate response is ‘God, get me out of this desert.’ when it should be ‘God, teach me in this desert.’

Beware of Destination Addiction—a preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job, or with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.

The Greek word for “encouragement” in the New Testament means to “come alongside” or to engage. It’s two words smushed together. The single form of the word means you say something nice from far off, like “good luck.” But with the addition of the extra word, it means to draw in and fight together. The word had a military connotation, because when a Roman unit of soldiers lost morale, the commander would “come alongside” the soldiers and inspire them. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is called the “Encourager,” and He comes alongside us to fight this fight together. He is not far off but with us in the fray, the commander come down to reside in our soldier hearts.

God does not live in a perpetual state of disappointment over who we are.