Say what you need to say...

So, I went to a conference on ministry the other day and it was a really great time! I had a lot of fun learning about different things, especially from well renowned pastors and authors of theology. My eyes were open to the importance of understanding what I believe and really being able to apply to every area of my life. I need to look at this “break” from work and school in my life as a time to discover myself and really spend time applying the discipline I know I should have to my everyday life. There’s a song by John Mayer that really hits me and causes me to bring to question the actions I take or neglect to take daily.

“Say”

Take all of your wasted honor

Every little past frustration

Take all of your so-called problems, 

Better put 'em in quotations

Say what you need to say

Walking like a one man army

Fighting with the shadows in your head

Living out the same old moment

Knowing you'd be better off instead,

If only you could...

Say what you need to say

Have no fear for giving in

Have no fear for giving over

You'd better know that in the end

It's better to say too much

Then never say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shakin 

And your faith is broken

Even as the eyes are closing

Do it with a heart wide open

Wide heart...

and say what you need to say

So many times we set aside our feelings and suppress what we really think is right in order to feel comfortable, but I don’t want to get to the end of my life and wonder what it would have been like to say what I think. One of the workshops at the conference was about the Theology of the Cross in an age of prosperity and suffering. The idea that we want to learn how to better help those that are suffering has to start with the recognition of such people. If we go on living without acknowledging the injustice all around us than we will never really put into action the idea of helping those in need. Why? We won’t find them if we don’t even think about the existence of injustice first.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sick of talking a big game and not doing anything...myself and others. I do it too, but I’m beginning to see that it takes more than just the understanding that there are people less fortunate than I am. Jesus walked WITH these people, Jesus ate WITH these people, wherever they were he was too. There is a need for people who are willing to open their eyes and then DO something about what our eyes encounter. Say what’s on your mind, but say it with the intent of putting action behind the words. I’m learning to do this too.