One day when I was walking across the campus of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, I ran into one of my professors and we began to talk. He wanted to know more about where I grew up, where I’d gone to school and what I saw in my future. Then he said, “Mike, you’re quite the unique personality on our campus.”
“Is that a PhD way of calling me an eight ball?”
“I guess so,” he said, but then got very serious. “Please don’t lose that,” he said. “That’s your gift.”
Gift? I had never seen my personality as a gift. I had always seen it as something of a liability. Something that held me back. I didn’t fit in. I didn’t see things the way most people saw them. I was just different.
How so? Let me give you an example. Do you remember the story of the Sanhedrin asking Jesus about a woman who had married seven brothers and each of them died? When this story was read in my New Testament class, I started laughing. The professor wanted to know what I was laughing at so I answered, “Let me get this straight. Seven men are dead. My question is why isn’t this woman under investigation?”
Let’s just say my insight wasn’t appreciated. I maintain, however, I raised a good point. The Sanhedrin wanted to know which brother would be her husband in heaven. My point was I’m not sure this woman is going to heaven at all.
I didn’t like Christian worship music. Still don’t. I rather listen to the blues or Southern rock. When I study the craft of preaching, I don’t watch other preachers. I watch stand up comedians. They do what a good preacher wants to do – they just do it better. (And yes, there are some clean ones). They walk onto a stage in a room full of strangers, establish a relationship and talk about things everyone has experienced and understands. Most preachers can’t do that.
Anyway, the hardest part of my Christian journey is learning to accept the way Jesus made me. In my life, the worst mistakes I ever made in my ministry were when I was trying to be someone or something I’m not. Not only was I not good at being someone I’m not, I failed when I thought being someone else was the key to success. Too many times, I ended up like David when Saul offered his armor to fight Goliath. David couldn’t win in Saul’s armor. I couldn’t win trying to be someone else.
You can’t either.
If you follow Christ for long, you’ll find out you have many conversions and each one happens at a deeper level than the one before it. Yes, we are saved forever, but we are also saved day by day. For me, learning Christ designed me to be me and didn’t expect me to be anybody else was one of the most freeing moments in my life. This is why I am so excited to be doing what I’m doing now.
There’s nothing more exciting than walking with a pastor as they begin to understand the way God created them and with that, the mission and ministry for which they are called. It’s the same way with churches. Each church is unique. Each church has its own personality and God placed His kingdom vision when He called that church into being.
I’ve never really understood how the very thing that once limited my ministry could be the door that now opens my ministry to other pastors and churches.
I shouldn’t be surprised. That seems to be the way God works.
God wanted me to be me and only me. He wants you to be you and only you. God never repeats Himself in creation. We shouldn’t be surprised that He only made one of each of us. Be you. It’s one of the most Godly thing you can do.
(1) Original - In my own words:
Thanks for the offer from behind the screen. I try not to worry too much about appeasing the fake hate speech policies defined by government, identity wars, manipulations in sexualization, and lowered standards in allowing cancel culture. Only to dramatize social media popularity disagreements into insanity through technocracies extremely low standards of who we are not in accordance with God. Go ahead and let them continue to bully the faith with their technocratic authorities coercing us to misinterpret the definition of hate speech and causing more division, deceit, and more diluted unity in our combined future. Saving souls is perpetual. Only love can rule us all. Not federal speech regulators and technocratic data mismanagement that spurs on an addicting identity imprisonment. No one can lead us the way God and God alone can. Amen.
(1) -> (2) Original rewritten with Co-pilot:
Thank you for the offer. I endeavor to focus on what's important, rather than getting caught up in the complexities of policy and societal debates. It's essential to rise above the fray of social media disputes and the often-divisive nature of online discourse. Ultimately, it is love that unites us and guides us forward, not the constraints of regulations or the pitfalls of digital identity. Faith is a journey of continual growth and learning. It is through love that we find true leadership and direction, not through external authorities or divisive rhetoric. Let us seek unity and understanding in our shared future.
(1) -> (3) Original Rewritten by ChatGPT3.5:
I appreciate the gesture from behind the screen, but I refrain from getting overly concerned about conforming to government-mandated fake hate speech policies, engaging in identity conflicts, being manipulated into sexualization, or succumbing to the pressures of cancel culture. Instead of allowing social media disagreements to spiral into chaos, driven by the low standards of technocracy that deviate from our true selves as intended by a higher power, I advocate for maintaining faith despite the bullying tactics of technocratic authorities. They coerce us into distorting the definition of hate speech, fostering more division and deceit, ultimately undermining the unity we should strive for in our collective future. The pursuit of salvation is ongoing, guided solely by love, not by federal speech regulations or technocratic mishandling of data that perpetuates an addictive cycle of identity entrapment. Only God can truly lead us; amen.
(1) -> (2) -> (4) Co-Pilot interpretation rewritten with ChatGPT3.5:
I appreciate your offer. My aim is to prioritize what truly matters, steering clear of being entangled in the intricacies of policy and societal discussions. It's crucial to transcend the noise of social media disagreements and the divisive nature of online interactions. Love serves as the binding force that brings us together and propels us onward, surpassing the confines of regulations and the hazards of digital identity. Faith represents an ongoing voyage of development and enlightenment. It is love that illuminates our path, offering genuine leadership and guidance, rather than relying on external authorities or divisive language. Let's strive for unity and comprehension as we journey into our collective future.
(1) -> (3) -> (5) ChatGPT3.5 interpretation rewritten by Co-Pilot:
I appreciate the gesture from behind the screen. However, I choose not to become overly concerned with adhering to government-mandated policies on hate speech that may not be genuine, engaging in conflicts of identity, being drawn into sexualization, or yielding to the pressures of cancel culture. Instead of letting disagreements on social media escalate into chaos, fueled by the low standards of a technocracy that strays from our authentic selves as envisioned by a higher power, I stand for keeping faith despite the intimidating tactics of technocratic leaders. They pressure us to alter the meaning of hate speech, which leads to greater division and deception, ultimately weakening the unity we should seek for our shared future. The quest for salvation continues, driven by love alone, not by federal regulations on speech or technocratic mismanagement of data that feeds a vicious cycle of identity entrapment. Only God can truly guide us; Amen.