The bravest person in church on Sunday might seem like the one who has all the answers. It might seem like the one who is armed with certainty and conviction. Who is quick to point out how “those people over there” are doing it wrong. (Do you hear the steely tinge of righteous indignation in this person’s voice screeching along like a treble note through their words?)
But I’ve come to see that this person isn’t brave at all. No…
I think the bravest person in church on Sunday is the one who is sincerely trying to figure out of this Jesus character is actually worth spending any of their precious time on.
This is terrifying, really.
It requires bravery - honest, it does.
Because if this person concludes that Jesus is worth their time, they know that this will mean bringing into question the foundation their whole life is built on.
It means that a lot of the conclusions they’ve drawn up until now -
many of them which have given them a sense of safety throughout much of their life
- have all been smashed to pieces.
Warmly,
Jonas
I like how you described, the modern day church version of the scenario in Luke 18:10-14 KJV
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican...
You portrayed that experience perfectly.