Friday, September 21, 2012

John Wesley on living your faith


Are  you tired of the name calling?

Are you tired of all the divisive conversations?

Tired of all the disagreeable people?

John Wesley believed being disagreeable isn't an effective way to change another person's mind.

John Wesley is largely remembered as being the founder of the Methodist movement, but his legacy includes a large body of work that the continues to teach us today how to be followers of Christ.


Be not displease if I entreat you not to bear me down in order to quicken my pace (in coming to your persuasion) ... not to give me hard names in order to bring me into the right way.  Suppose I was ever so much in the wrong, I doubt this would not set me right.  Rather, it would make me run so much farther from you and so get more and more out of the way ... for God's sake, if it be possible to avoid it, let us not provoke one another to wrath.  Let us not kindle in each other this fire of hell, much less blow it into flame ... if we die without love, what will knowledge avail?   - John Wesley

We need less divisive talk.  We need to learn to come together for the greater good of all people. Won't some one stop the name calling and do something?

In the midst of the discord and noise, we need some John Wesley's to rise up.  Better stated, we need some Christians to rise up in a 'John Wesley-like' manner.

Wesley's faith led him to do some radical things in England not limited to:
  • contributing to the liberation of women and the beginnings of workers' rights and safety
  • he attacked slavery before the reformer William Wilberforce was born
  • fought for civil and religious freedom
  • brought awareness of the evils of exploiting the poor
  • opened a free school
  • opened a shelter for widows help the destitute
What is your faith inspiring you to do?

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