Should

I would like to take this moment to state my utmost dislike and abhorrence for the word "should" when applied to our Christin walk. I think it would be a heatlthy thing for us to eliminate this word from our vocabulary.

Masses: "What? Steve, you can't be serious?"
Steve: Oh you're right, I'm not quite serious.

There are, in fact, many things that we should be doing, most of which, we are not doing. But I feel like for many people the word should is a haunting presence hanging just over our shoulder as we interact with others who remind by specific examples that we are far from perfect.

Often times I come away from conversations with other Christians feelin very discouraged.

I should read my Bible more
I should pray differently
I should read more Christian books
I should spend more time with people
I should care more about poverty
I should have a softer heart
I should not care so much what other people think
I should get more involved
I should be passionate about something
I should feel differently about ______
I should think differently about _______
I should be more positive
I should be a better listener
I should ...be someone else

Don't get me wrong, I think we should "press on forward to take hold of that which has taken hold of us*" and it's true that being a Christian is like going on a journey that never ends. But I SHOULDN'T feel like a treadmill that is no going anywhere and will throw us off if we aren't doing well enough. What's more I sometimes I feel like the self-conscoius fat dude on the treadmill that is convinced that everyone else in the gym is watching and judging him. And that is NOT what I think God intended.

Yeah, there are things that we should do, but honestly, watch yourself when you say that, don't do more harm than good, cause that's what I do.

*The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Phillipi...in some chapter and verse