“There’s Nowt as Queer as Folk.” - Friday 8th June

OK – I admit it, as much as I love it, this cliché can’t be found in the Bible. I have, however, heard it applied to Christians; I guess some things Christians do must seem strange to unbelievers…

And we do have some of our own clichés too don’t we? Here’s some that come to mind straight away:
· Step out in faith / Step out of the boat.
· Holy moment
· Fellowshipped
· It spoke to me (classically used by some curates when referring to dog poo…)

The danger is that our familiarity with these phrases can begin to diminish their impact. Take “Step out in faith for example.” This is speaking of the challenge of venturing into territory that is unfamiliar or a bit scary – but with the amazing promise that God will not let us down. That is a seismic statement. However, if our familiarity with the phrase means all we hear is “blah blah blah,” then it’s combined challenge and encouragement is lost…

Maybe there are times we need to spell things out bluntly… How does this sound as an alternative pattern to “stepping out in faith?” Apply to the framework below a challenge that you are facing at the minute (be it inviting someone to Sunday’s seeker service, dealing with a difficult situation/colleague at work, bringing to God an area of personal difficulty or hurt.)

Question: Is God wanting me to do this? Answer: YES
Question: Does God bless obedience? Answer: YES
Conclusion: Get on with it!

Why not tell someone else what it is you should be doing so they can encourage you and hold you accountable for it?

Does that work for you? Maybe it’s time to run the Cliché checker computer programme through my sermons, although I’m rather afraid of what I might discover.

Have a good weekend!