How's Your Filter?

This was posted on Praying Mantis' Blog today and I thought this was EXCELLENT! He's a fantastic Youth Pastor at The Vineyard and also a pretty darn good teacher too. It blessed me so I hope it blesses you too. I will share a story soon about my broken filters when I have the time.

How's Your Filter?
(The Cracks are everywhere)

Knowing what your limitations are is a good thing.

Some people can not handle eating sweets because if they have one they want to have a million, so for them there sweet filter is broken. For others, their alcohol filter is broken so they can't have a drink or even be in the company of people who drink because their filter which allows them to stop once they start is broken. For others, they need to stop television all together because they are unable to turn off something that is useless for them, or they get addicted to it and watch it until all their time has been wasted. Some people have broken boundary filters - where they get used by everyone around them because they do not have the ability to tell others "no," or to say to them, "I need some time away from you because you are just driving me crazy...it is my problem, not yours, so forgive me and give me a little time." For some, they may not be able to read books like "Lord of the Rings," cause instantly they are trying to be too macho, or slicing their little sister with their plastic swords. For others, they can not read books like Harry Potter, cause instantly their broken filter causes them to start investigating witchcraft.

Being sensitive to other people's broken filters is a good thing.

Encouraging others to participate in activities where they filters are broken is to be a stumbling block to their life progress. The Bible warns us teachers of the young to be even more cautious of causing the young to stumble - because the punishment for doing so will be harsh. So when we speak to friends about "God making wine to make glad the hearts of men," and when we speak of Paul Admonishing Timothy to take a little wine to make his heart glad...and when we speak of freedom in Christ to have cable tv and the internet...we speak such things to only those who have filters in place that work because we are not the filter fixers...God is. And until God decides, and he might not...to fix their filters...then we would be best to just be quiet when we know that our brother and sister's filter doesn't work in a certain area. I do not believe it is our job to set them free of something they already wish they could be free of, but somehow can not seem to manage. Love our weaker brothers and sisters - by encouraging them, praising them, gentle rebuking them while acknowledging your own broken areas...cause we are all pretty broken - the cracks are everywhere.