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professional-benaddict · 2 years

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I think I’ve gathered thoughts from you on CG burnout / daddy!Tony snapping at little!Peter before but: thoughts on ageplay where the caregiver safewords? Maybe there’s another cg to help/take-over? Or maybe suddenly a little and their one cg are in a bit of a bind 😕 feel free to adapt for littles-are-known or anything else if you want/can 🥰

pepper to the rescure!!💗💗💗

Daddy Tony, Little Peter, Littles Are Known, Mommy-ish Pepper, burnout, crying, comfort, fluff

“Daddy, can we go to the mall? Please?”

“Not today, honey. Daddy’s tired today.”

“Oh. Can we watch a movie?”

“Can’t do that either, sorry. I got tons of stuff to do.”

“But-”

“I’m sorry, bud. It’s just one of those days. You’ll have to find something to do on your own today.”

Tony can tell by the way that Peter runs off that he is going to his room to cry. And even worse, Tony cannot find it in himself to go after the boy and comfort him. Because, honestly, Tony just wants to run off and cry in bed himself, then sleep till he feels better.

But, a Daddy’s duties are never-ending, which is part of the problem. Tony’s doing too much for too long, and it’s all catching up on him now, and affecting Peter too.

With the last of his strength, Tony grabs his phone and makes a call to a trusted person.

Half an hour later, Peter has managed to calm down on his own. He is not crying anymore, but he makes no move to get out of his bed. His room feels like the only safe spot in the house, with Daddy being so moody. It’s scary.

But, when Peter hears sharp footsteps in the staircase, he perks up. The boy pushes himself up a little bit to see what is going on, but he still jumps a little when there is a knock on his bedroom door.

“Hello, sweetie.”

It is Pepper, Daddy’s close friend and coworker. Peter has met her many times and he always admires how smartly dressed she is and how her hair smells faintly of peaches. She looks just as gorgeous today with a light blue blouse and darker blue skirt. Her lipstick today is a pretty orange that matches her hair which she has in a neat bun at the back of her head.

Her black heels are muffled by Peter’s fuzzy carpet as she walks to sit on his bedside.

“Have you been crying?” She asks gently, lifting a manicured hand to stroke at Peter’s cheek.

The gentlesness of the woman makes Peter start crying all over again, and he lifts his balled fists to his eyes.

“Oh, darling, come here…”

Peter feels himself be lifted up and onto Pepper’s lap, then tucked nicely into her embrace. Her hair smells like peaches today as well.

“I’m so sorry you’re having a rough day today. Your Daddy seems to be having that kind of day today too. He gave me a call, so I came to help you both. Hm? I came to take care of you both.”

That makes sense, Peter thinks to himself. He calms down quicker from his second round of crying, and Pepper helps him to blow his nose with a tissue that’s on his nightstand.

“I think first of all, you both need a meal. Then, you and I can do something fun. We could go to the mall or something? Would you like that, sweetie?” Pepper suggests.

Peter nods a little glumly at that.

“Come on, honey darling. You’ll feel better once you’ve eaten. I’ll make you something yummy.”

Peter slides down from Pepper’s lap when she gently prompts him to do so. He takes her hand quickly though, letting her lead the way to the kitchen.

After both Peter and Tony have eaten some scrambled eggs with toast, Peter and Pepper head out so that Tony can rest. Just like Pepper said, Peter starts feeling better and excited even to go to the mall.

“Can we go to Claire’s?”

“Claire’s? What do you want from there, hm?”

“Unicorn earrings..?”

“Oh, how cute! Maybe I’ll get matching ones. Is that okay with you?”

“Yeah!” Peter grins.

#my prompts #president grace #little!peter #daddy!tony #mommy!pepper #starker #tony stark x peter parker #peter parker #tony stark #pepper potts #ask

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garina · 1 year

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Um.

Yep.

That was a thing that I watched with my eyeballs.

I am still trying to process episode 8. I may even have to go back and watch it again. It was so so good and fucked up (complimentary). So, this is probably going to be even less coherent than usual. And I am still blaming @kedreeva for the new fictional people living in my head.

Joyce sees RIGHT through Brenner' shit. She knows exactly whose fault this whole thing is, and she is not going to let him brush over that like it's nothing, or join forces with the guy who DUMPED A DUMMY OF HER SON'S BODY IN A QUARRY TO MAKE THEM THINK HE WAS DEAD.

Hopper is pretty badass while being tortured and interrogated, but selling out El was wrong. I mean, I get why he did it, he's trying to save as many people as possible, and Will is the one he's set his sense of self and mental stability on being able to save. And as I know from multiple gif and photo sets that El is in future series, I do wonder if she ever finds out about this betrayal.

Ok Nancy, Jonathan, I apologise. Your plan is only extremely dangerous, not totally suicidal. The scene with them methodically preparing is really cool. And the plan was pretty successful over all, they did far more harm to the demogorgon than anything else up to that point.

Poor Steve. Comes to apologise to Jonathan, finds Nancy there, but that's fine, it's fine... and then he sees she's hurt, and his concern for her plunges him neck deep into the deep shit the others have been wading through. And after a very understandable freak out, hero Steve emerges for the first time. Because while any sensible person would go with the run instinct, he goes back, which I would argue is harder than toughing it out. And he's pretty handy with that bat.

I wonder if it's just the extreme stress and the obvious parallels that are causing Hopper to relive all the trauma with losing his daughter, or whether there's something about the Upside Down that pushes bad memories to the surface.

The gate to the Upside Down remains deeply unpleasant and far too biological. It makes me want to burn it.

I don't know if the demogorgon was making a larder in the Upside Down library, or something worse that I absolutely do not want to know. The thing down Will's throat, the CPR scene, the glimpse of Barb, all of it nightmare fuel forever.

Dustin isn't wrong. Chocolate pudding would probably help with El's exhaustion, food = fuel and all that. Also just on an emotional level.

The whole thing with Mike and El and the Snow Ball conversation... ugh so cute. The way he doesn't doubt for a second that his mother would take her in as family. The way he offers Nancy as her sister like it's the amazing thing it is. The way he then panics and doesn't quite have the words to explain about not wanting to be her -brother-. The awkward kiss and the way El's face just lights up.

Yes! So many arseholes died! While El using her powers to straight up kill so many people is worrying (and accidentally summons the demogorgon)... they all REALLY deserved it. Especially creepy blonde woman. And then the rest of them get Demogorgoned. Hooray.

The scene where El seemingly dies broke me. The boys trying to fight the Demogorgon off with the slingsh... I mean wrist rocket. El finding some strength from somewhere to fucking obliterate it. The fact that the noise it makes is physically painful, Dustin and Lucas close their eyes as well as cover their ears... but Mike won't look away from El. He can't do anything else to help her right now, but he will Not. Look. Away. Because she's not alone, and he never wants her to be alone again.

So much trauma for everyone.

Happy hospital scenes. That include a slightly bemused Steve in the background. I am interested to know at what point he gets filled in on everything. I'm assuming Hopper concocted some kind of explanation for the parents for what the hell had been happening.

The tenderness and gentlesness of Joyce and Jonathan contrasted with the joyful exuberance of the Party. Who realise they need to reassure Will that the Demogorgon is very very dead. Will being happy and smiley and not scared to death.

More government spooks for Hopper. What do they say???

Jonathan picks Will up from the Wheelers rather than Will cycling home. Feels like it's as much to spend more time with Will as being protective (although it's obviously a factor)

Steve totally bought that camera and got Nancy to give it.

Everything was lovely and then Will went to the bathroom and NOPE DO NOT LIKE WTF.

Things I want more of: characters having more amazing realistic relationships and interactions, baby geeks geeking out, El, Joyce being Mom goals, Mr Carver the best teacher ever, El, Steve being an adorable dork and not a jerk, Nancy finding out who she is and what she wants, Hopper's investigative skills, El, El and Mike being cute together. Just more.

Things I don't want: CREEPY SLUG THINGS IN PEOPLE'S MOUTHS. WTF. NO. MAJOR NOPE. WTH. NO. DO NOT WANT.

I really don't do slugs.

At some point I might try to wrap up my feelings about Season 1 as a whole before I start on 2. This has been a ride.

#Stranger Things #s1e8 #spoilers #I am not ok #rambling and flailing #long post #I am absolutely doomed #hey kedreeva

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lilihasabadweek · 1 year

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“Of course,” he winks, looking back to George. “I assume we’ll be in touch?”

“You got it,” George smiles. “Thank you for coming in, Jason.”

“Oh no, thank you! See you guys later.” He gives everyone a wave before exiting the room.

George slowly turns to the three of you. “Thoughts. Go.”

“I…” Hayden ducks his head a little, “I thought- he was a little too big. Great physique but… I just sort of imagined the clones differently. And I felt he had too many body movements rather than small face changes, which would be optimal for such a… dangerous man. To be almost unreadable.”

Ewan nods, “Yes, Jango is a cocky man- but it isn’t always necessary for him to express it physically.”

“See my thing is like, the heart and center of Jango is being a dad. Literally gave up his body for use to get a son, Boba, and I think he’s got a sort of gentlesness until provoked.”

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writingonesdreams · 2 years

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5 and 7 for this?

@rydykg

For the Contemporary AU:

5. What are the main themes?

Emotional connection, intimacy, dependency, friendship

7. What are the main emotions of this wip?

Curiousity, fear, yearning, protectivness, gentlesness

Thanks for sending these^^

#ask #writeblr #new wip #contemporary au

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beacon-lamp · 3 years

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I follow u because you're very epic! :]

thank you coffit, you are far more epic than i

#god hang on let's talk about your snowchester tubbo art for a sec #that shit is phenomenal #the falling snow???#the overall Softness and Gentlesness of the art???#chefs kiss #it really warmed my heart #like you're such a good artist and i really truly hope you know that #your art makes a lot of people smile #anyways #hi coffit hope your new year is going alright :)#coffit #coffit0

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sofhtie · 5 years

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the band of boobs are so soft for each other,,,,,, so open,,,,,, so loving,,,,, i’m!!!!

#theyre just so GOOD #like. found family BABEY #the gentlesness and openness and tenderness in everything they do #how well they know eachpther #god.... i Stan #the LOVE is so strong it makes so me happy #naddpod

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nartothelar · 3 years

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Okay, shit, I am a new follower, I was visiting your blog every day for like a week, I learned that there were some cursed moments, but hey, not bad, then I took a lil break from tumblr, now I'm back, and what do I see on top of my dash? Puffer Fish Mic, goshdarnit

No warning, no gentlesness, you can say I was thrown straight into deep waters (I'm so funny/s)

But when the initial shock went away, I gotta say that even in fish form, Erasermic is cute as hell, and your artstyle makes it even better <3

Thanks! Fish au is one I haven’t touched in a and I’m realizing again just how cute it is

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simpforsersi · 3 years

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I’m kinda sorta pretty intoxicated right now and I have several things to say.

1. I really love Mobius.

2. He is so hot.

3. His moustache.

4. His personality.

4.a His kindness.

4.b His patience.

4.c His willingness to give second chances.

4.d His gentlesness.

5. The fact that he would be so good at the sex, I just KNOW IT.

There. Me in the morning can worry about the fact that I threw these things out into the world. Me now is just going to revel in the truth of them.

#mobius #mobius m. mobius #loki #owen wilson

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ghosttap65 · 3 years

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I see him coming

Pale skin

Black clothes

Red lips

With hands wrapped around a sword,

I smile

He bristles

He does not want to fight

He does not want to hurt

He is tired

So tired

He is scared,

Yet, he comes

Step by step

He does not want to fight

He does not want to hurt

He prolongs

And prolongs

He is broken,

He waits

Waits for me to shout

Waits for me to weep

Waits for me to curse

Waits for me to cry

Waits for me to fight

He does not wants to fight

He does not want to hurt

But he expects all the above

I do none,

He stops in front of me

A few paces between us

With silence and wariness

He does not wants me to scream

He does not want me to break the silence between us

No matter how uncomfortable

He does not want to fight

He does not want to hurt

He is afraid

He comes near

He has no choice

I embrace him

He stiffens

He expected curses

He expected weeping

He expected fear

He expected anger

He expected cruelness

He expected a fight

He does not want to fight

He does not want to hurt

He expected me to not understand that

He is misunderstood,

He wraps his arms around me

He is hesitant

He does not want to fight

He does not want to hurt

But he does not know care

Does not know gentleness

Does not know affection

Does not know love

He is lonely,

He has traveled far and wide

All around the world

People curse his existence

They name him pain

They name him grief

They name him curses

But the worst curse they named him

They named him death

He does not want to fight

He does not want to hurt

But people say he does nothing but that

He believes that

He loathes himself

He is bitter,

Black wings sprouting from his back

He always puts on a mask

Mask of coldness

Mask of indifference

Mask of boredom

He does not show

Does not show he is hurt

Does not show he is in pain

Does not show he is in broken

Does not show he hates himself

He does not want to hate himself more

He does not want to fight

He does not want to hurt

But he likes my embrace

Likes my attention

Likes my hugs

Likes my gentlesness

Likes this

He wants it

He has gone so long without it

So I give it to him

And he takes it

And in return he takes care of me

And of all the things I came to know

I realized

Everyone treated his feelings like a toy

They failed to see

He is nothing

Nothing but a broken

Broken

Boy.

-Rach

#death #poem #poetry #my writting #spilled ink #mine #broken boy #deep #sad #sad poem #deep sad poem #deep poem

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terrm9 · 3 years

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can you say more about T&L 30 .......I am genuinely curious🥺

Ahh, thank you! <3 this is so, so kind of you.

Lina, Tatum and marriage (headcanon)

There might have been days when Lina did want to get married. Back in her childhood, as she played with her dolls and dreamed of her own prince and her own children, her own fairytale. At the age of five, she probably did dream of that.

At the age of fifteen, she hardly remembered dreaming like that. At the age of fifteen, she was finding marriage the stupidest thing and a family life something she would never experience. The reasons were different and each of them made her absolutely sure that she would never, ever get married.

First of all, she couldn’t imagine feeling for someone so hard she would want to spend the rest of her life with them. She could only imagine being a friend forever with Tatum and nobody else, and so she didn’t even think about marriage. A fucking stupid institution, she muttered every time someone asked are about her opinion.

The other reason - the one she never talked about but knew was true - was that her parents were married. Her mother was once married and Lina didn’t want to be the same as her mother in anything. Not her career, not her opinions, not her way of living. Obviously, she couldn’t get married, even if she did want (not the she would ever want that).

This opinion formed in her early teenage years and lasted ever since.

Tatum could imagine getting married. His parents were married and they were happy - until the death did them apart. His sister was married and she was happy. If he was lucky enough to find someone he would want to spend his life with, he knew he would want to marry the person.

Tatum was aware of Lina’s opinion and she was aware of his. She always joked that she would attend his wedding even though the ‘disgusting sweetness’ would make her nauseous.

Many things changed for Lina and Tatum once they realized their feelings for each other. Many, many things. Lina’s opinion on marriage was not one of them, though.

It was 2.5 years after getting together - shortly after moving in together - that Tatum tried to ask Lina about her thoughts on getting married again. He wished to marry her. Lina was his best friend, the love of his life, she was it for him and he knew there would never be anyone else he would want to get married to.

„We have been part of each other’s lives for twenty years now. I don’t need a paper to keep it that way,“ Lina responded to his question. She loved Tatum. She wanted to spend her life with Tatum. She didn’t need to get married to have that.

„But if that’s something you really want,“ she began again, gentler this time. She would die for him. She could very well get married, too.

„No,“ Tatum stopped her, his voice firm. „I am happy with you like this. Just wanted to ask,“ he shrugged and kissed the top of her head, putting an end to the discussion.

The life went on and Lina and Tatum were happy. Living together, with jobs they both actually enjoyed, in love and yet, best friends first and foremost – they were amazingly, incontestably happy. Years passed and their happiness lasted, even when life got hard.

And over those years, they never spoke about marriage anymore – what was the point, anyway? They were happy.

But sometimes, Lina did think about it. Maybe it would be nice, to have that happiness officially. On the damn paper. And she would become Mendoza – she would carry the name of people she always considered a family (the true one, the family she wished to have). As much as she wanted to escape her mother’s influence, she couldn’t deny that they did share the last name.

(Maybe if being married is what she shall have in common with Melissa Monroe, instead of the last name, maybe then it would be bearable to have something in common with her.)

It’s shortly after their seventh anniversary – and Tatum’s 31st birthday – that these thought become more and more frequent in Lina’s head. That she might actually want that.

One night after the dinner, Lina should really get back to her reports and Tatum should really get ready for his speech tomorrow. Instead, they are laying on a sofa, his hand drawing soft circles on her upper arm, both enjoying the content silence.

That’s when Lina raises up on her elbows and looks at him for a long moment before saying: „Marry me.“

Tatum is not a man of many words. But the way his eyes widen, mouth opening and closing again and again, the way he struggles to make a single sound; Lina did not expect to render him this speechless. “What?” he asks at last. „It’s okay if you don’t want to anymore,“ she chuckles and really, it is okay. She would happily carry on with her life the way it is. She would also happily get married to Tatum Mendoza. „Are you kidding me?“ Tatum asks, clearing his throat. „Of course I want to.“

Smiling, Lina stradles him and cups his cheeks, the gentlesness only saved for Tatum and kids she meets at work. „So you will?“ she asks and it’s meant to be asked in a light tone, but she catches an edge of insecurity in her own voice.

„I will,“ Tatum nods a second before their lips meet and the two simple words are echoing in a living room in between their soft giggles and needing sighs.

I will, I will, I will.

Again, thank you so so much for sending this <33

#l & t

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rhyunnie · 4 years

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imagine having a girls palm softly pressed against your cheeks, with so much care and gentlesness, so much love and adoration, so much longing and desire. Uh yeah, thank you for listening to my gay ass

#love #girls #desire #care

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from-mister-madness · 4 years

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... I've been watching from a distance. I haven't talked to you before, and I know my brand of gentleness may be foreign to you, and that you may reject it. Even still... I don't agree with the others here. You're not weak. You're not a child. You don't need my pity, but what I will give is my *empathy*. You're allowed to hurt. You're allowed to be angry. You're a person, no matter your mistakes - just like those that lash out at you are people with mistakes. ... I hope you're feeling better now

thank you, but i'm not a person/. people aren't like this. & my mistakes are biggggggggggggg, bigger than the eifffell tower. or tha really really rEeALLy tall building where my dealer used to wrok, before he got sacked for the whole, yknow , drug-dealing thnig

gentlesness stresses me out

thats sweet of yu tho

#anon i love this response #so im just going to say #his usual answer would be something along the lines of #''appreciated #but stop trying to get on my good side.#i don't have a good side and you're not going to find it with sweet old....#what did you call it? right.#empathy.''#thank you for the ask and sorry he's drunk rn!#anti!#drunk ego hours #anon #empathy anon

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king0fcrows · 5 years

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I always think of that little plant Luther kept on the moon. How gently and lovingly he caressed it, clearly having taken care of it for four long, lonely years.

Then I think how he lovingly speaks of the sun turning the horizon of the moon to glass to Allison, a poetic and thoughtful turn of phrase.

How he clearly adores music and dancing, having cultivated a massive record collection, one he clearly encouraged his family to enjoy as well, despite Reginald’s constant efforts to squash any such sentimentality.

(How hard it must have been to realize, after the accident, that the new limitations of his body would place on dancing, that physically grace and delicacy was now lost to him.)

How shocked he was at Five’s suggestion that they murder someone, genuinely appalled at the thought.

How he knew what Allison needed to tell her daughter without her actually having to say it, knowing her daughter would need to hear it just as badly as Allison needed to say it.

I think the saddest thing about Luther is that deep down—for all that brute strength, clearly the only thing about him his father values—he’s actually a very gentle person.

When all the crazy of Umbrella Academy is over, I’d like to see Luther become a gardener. Let him find an occupation, a calling, that lets him cultivate the gentlesness inside him.

Let him have something that shows him he’s good for more than just physical brute strength. That he can take his time, that he can ask for help from other, doesn’t always have to pretend he knows exactly what he’s doing, he won’t be any “less” for taking his time to figure it out. That sometimes the real strength is in admitting you need help or just don’t know.

#the umbrella academy #tua #luther hargreeves

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mikedonehey · 5 years

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When Pastors Walk Away (Don’t Freak Out)

I was on a phone interview this past week, and I was posed with the question, “How would you respond to this movement of prominent figures leaving the faith?” My eyebrows raised. I took a slow sip of my coffee. “Movement?” I asked.

“Yes.” She laughed nervously. “There’s a real movement away from the faith right now, and we need to know how to contend with it.”

I didn’t answer. I took another sip of my coffee. The silence hung thick like the steam dancing in the sunlight rising from my cup. I let it linger.

“I’m pretty sure it’s just two guys,” I finally said. “I don’t mean any disrespect, but I don’t know if I’d call that a movement.”

But some would. When high profile pastors dramatically change what they believe about God, for some, it can feel like all the covers being ripped off. Cozy to shivering in one fell swoop. Betrayed. Disillusioned. It’s difficult to deal with the cold, when you feel like these were the same people who had just helped tucked you into your faith the night before.

So how do we respond? What do we say? Let me start with one of my all-time favorite over-looked Scriptures.

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,” 2 Timothy 2:24-25

Alright. Let’s break this down for a minute. If you’re going to speak up for God, if you “correct opponents,” Paul tells Timothy, you must not be doing so from a quarrelsome place. Ouch. Im going to need to sit with that for a moment. How much of my outspoken zeal for correction is really just my attempt to leverage a moment for my own personal influence?

I have to admit. Whenever something of controversy arises, I’ve had to make a practice of waiting a few days longer than I think I should to speak up. Too many times, I cared a lot more about jumping on an opportunity to gain followers who agree and enforce my position than I have about actually hearing from and loving the person I’m disagreeing with. The Scripture warns against this compulsion. We don’t correct just because we like the attention. We don’t speak up, because we like being right. We correct, because we deeply care about the person. Let’s go on.

You must be kind TO EVERYONE. Who do I need to be kind to? Oh right. Everyone.

Next? Be able to teach.

Whoof. I believe we teach best when we speak from what we deeply know. Teachers at university typically teach from their area of expertise. If you’re a biology professor you probably won’t be giving the Shakespeare exam. That’s worth noting. There are some arguments that are above my pay grade. If so, maybe I should let someone else handle it.

What else?

Patiently endure evil.

Ooookaaay.

In today’s knee jerk defamatory culture, that bit is laughable. Endure evil. And do it patiently. I’ll be the first to say I don’t like evil, I don’t like enduring it, and I especially don’t like doing it patiently.

Now here’s the last bit, and I believe it’s the kicker. When you correct someone, do so with GENTLESNESS. We could just camp out there. But it gets better. Then perhaps...PERHAPS! (I love that word there.) Perhaps God will change them.

Ok Let’s recap.

Not quarrelsome.

Kind to everyone.

Able to teach what I’m talking about.

Endure evil.

Be patient.

Correct gently.

Let God do it.

This past week, two well-known Christians spoke of changes in their personal beliefs. One made a public declaration. The other, a bit of a public Inquiry. One, an author and pastor, the other, a worship facilitator. I’ll call him a worship feeder. (I hesitate to use the word “leader.” Paul didn’t like it either. (See I Corinthians 3 & 4) They both seem to be walking away from their personal faith in Jesus, and the after math has been nothing short of incredible. “What’s wrong with today’s Christians?!?” Some bemoaned. “This is why liberals cannot be trusted!” Others lamented.

I’ve sat back pondering.

This much, that two men would come to a place in their faith where they question everything they believe in, should not come as a great shock. Believing in Jesus is hard. It’s really hard. Genocide, homicide, child slavery, sickness, famine, war, death, the list goes on. The evidence against the existence of a good God is at least reasonable if not justifiable. ( I think even Jesus Himself called faith in Him impossible with man. All things are possible with God, but with man, impossible. Right? As impossible as a camel through a needle) It’s no wonder Paul says “They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience,” in 1 Timothy 3:9.

Mystery.

Let’s not breeze over that word.

It’s also worth mentioning that in Romans 11 Paul speaks of God’s children being grafted in to “Israel.” Remember that Israel means “wrestles with God.” So to be in God’s kingdom, means, among other things, that you’ve been invited into a divine wrestling match with Him. Incredible. That’s how close He wants us. All our questions, all our doubts. All our fascination and fears. He isn’t after the regurgitation of dogma, He’s after our sweat and our tears. He wants us. And He wants the real us; even the struggling parts of us. Maybe especially those parts. He wants us close. He’s after intimacy with us, more than a perfect test score from us.

I suppose this is why Jesus tells the Pharisees in John chapter 5. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

John 5:39,40

Re-read those words if you need to.

Jesus’ warning is nothing short of astonishing. Here He is, Telling the Religious elite that having all the answers won’t get you where you need to be. They’re not enough. All those Scriptures they had memorized were not the end in and of themselves, but merely sign posts pointing to an encounter with Him. He is the end goal. He is so much more than a belief system.

The announcement though, sent shock waves through Christendom this past week. It seemed unthinkable to many that those who have tasted of the heavenly gifts and the sweetness of the Spirit, could walk away. I am certainly in that camp. But that’s it. I don’t think the internet went ablaze, because God’s people were aching for these guys to sense His sweetness. I think people lost their nerve, because they felt two of their starters were defecting to the other team. Be honest with yourself here. It’s a subtle but crucial distinction.

Jesus told us His kingdom is not like the ones this world constructs. His kingdom is not a witch hunt. It’s not a club. It’s something more like an ever present invitation. “The Spirit and the Bride say “Come!” not, “Good riddance, we didn’t need you anyway.” So we needn’t obsess over who’s in and who’s out. We treat everyone like they’re in, until they finally believe they are. It’s a kingdom where we freely give ourselves away, not one where we lock the gates with a secret handshake required to get in. All that is required is Jesus, so may we never make it harder to get in than He did.

He also said the kingdom is like a farmer throwing some seeds around. Mustard seeds perhaps. The plants grow. They wither. Some get trampled on, some strangled. Some thrive to “impossible” heights. Some are eaten by the birds. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a bird swallowing up seeds off the fallow ground. I want to be a gardener, watering and whispering to the soil. However troublesome a plant looks, I want to be in the business of reviving. Let God do the pruning.

I read some articles and blog posts. I read some of the comments. I kind of wish I hadn’t. But as an author and a bit of a worship artist myself, the arguments felt pretty close to home. I read on. Some said they were ashamed. Others said they were headed straight to Hell. Some cheered their courage. While some said it’s fine to walk away from their faith, provided they don’t dare urge others to come with them. I would like to remark on that thought for a second. Let’s offer some grace here folks. I’m pretty sure these guys were on stage most of their adult life. Every week they were making a living getting people to agree with where they were coming from. They sang and talked about their faith like it was their job, because It was. It only makes sense then, that they would continue in that practice while going through a period of deconstruction. You can’t really fault a guy for taking people along his faith journey if that’s what he’s been doing for two decades and getting paid for it. Now look, I’m not making a case that it doesn’t matter what you believe. As Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Jesus said the work of God is “To believe in the One He has sent.” God is definitely into reconstruction. I think what I’m arguing is for Christians to believe in God more.

Perhaps.

Perhaps God will grant them repentance.

What Im arguing for is that we Christians would quit freaking out.

Quit. Freaking. Out.

Quit freaking out on believers who turn unbeliever. Quit freaking out on unbeliever turned believer in something else.

Paul says we have an insane advantage.

“God may perhaps grant them repentance.”

The best part of speaking on behalf of God is that God can take care of Himself. He isn’t rattled. He isn’t unsettled. He knows we are just dust. (Psalm 103) And the arguments? I think it’s safe to say He’s heard them all before. I get to speak up for a God who is already speaking to people’s hearts.

What about everyone else? What about the young impressionable minds who might be led astray? Well...I hope they don’t. I hope they aren’t. Led astray that is.

But there’s two sides to that.

I’m pretty sure we won’t win young believers to “our side” by crucifying our own in front of them. Yes, it’s my job and privilege to speak the truth, but it’s also my job to teach my daughters, for instance, how to bless people who don’t agree with them. I want my daughters to grow up embracing the truths I believe but also gently loving those who don’t embrace our truth as THE truth. If I’m scared my kids will be led astray to unbelief, should I also not be considering the dangers of winning my children over to Phariseeism? That’s not a real word but hopefully you get my drift. Again, I correct with GENTLENESS. I’m still convinced, after all my years on the planet, most people aren’t won to Jesus because of an impressive argument. And most don’t leave the church, because of a theory. More often than not, it’s the wounds from the insiders that cause them to run out the doors of the church and not look back.

I’ve heard it said over and over growing up that we (The Christian church) do not place our hope in religion alone, but in an actual living breathing relationship with God. Ok. Then tell me this.

If one of my wife’s friends and her have a falling out, does that mean I should question whether I’m still in relationship with my wife? Jesus does call us His bride after all, so I don’t think it’s a completely absurd comparison. No. I am so secure with what I have with my wife, I don’t freak out when others go through troubles connecting with her. I truly hope they work things out and will pray to that end. But I’m not going on Facebook to warn them of their disconnection. I trust God’s ability to right the relationship. I guess what I’m saying is, the more threatened you are when someone else is having a problem with God, maybe the less sure you are in your relationship with Him. If your relationship is solid, then the less worked up you’re going to get. It’s a crude analogy for sure but my point is this.

Don’t freak out.

Let people wrestle.

Speak gently.

Perhaps God.

Isaiah puts it so poignantly:

“a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” Isaiah 42:3

My friend Gabby commented, “if your faith can’t bend it’ll break.”

Perfectly stated.

Let’s not break the bruised reeds among us. Let’s not make it our job to quench the flickering flames of faith against the harsh winds of life. God doesn’t either.

And though we may not applaud others’ belief system or the route they’re taking, we can at least applaud their attempt to be honest with themselves and others. The Jesus I’ve come to know, I’m sure of this much, none of us get closer to Him by wearing a mask. Removing the pretense is the first step toward Him. Even if we’re taking the long way around.

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