5:37 – Are You Calling People Out Or In?

#faithbites #faithjourney calling

Intro

During a conference last week, I attended a workshop entitled having difficult conversations about difficult conversations. It was an excellent, no PowerPoint presentation that talked about to talk about difficult subjects (race, gender, sexuality, immigration, and more). The presenter introduced a conceited I have never heard of before. He said when others mess up in terms or actions, we need to call them in rather then call them out. For instance, he used to use the word suffragette but the term note is suffragist. The students who called him in, explained the origins of the word, what it means to people, and why the new term was preferred. They didn’t yell at him or try to punish him. Calling someone out is for punishment and destruction, calling in us for growth and relationships.

Questions

• When someone makes a mistake, is your first response to call them out?
• Do you even know why calling someone out is what you are doing?
• How can we teach, share, and grow by calling someone in instead?

Scripture

• Hebrews 10:24-25 – ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,^(A) 25 not giving up meeting together,^(B) as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another^(C)—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work
• Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Reflection

Our God is amazing and knows that we are far from perfect. He tried various ways to hings in the Old Testament to help us and we didn’t get better. But he still wanted to call us in and gave Jesus to us to bring us back with him.

Know, we don’t have to accept when people mess up or use harmful words. We also aren’t the PC police as some people thing. We are to treat each other with love, kindness, and respect. When we mess up, we are to use God’s work to rebuke and teach in love and kindness. Calling someone in helps to build those relationships and love.

As we close, remember that calling someone out may feel more natural, because that’s the way if the world, but calling someone in, is how God wants us to live.

Prayer

Lord God , thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus to call us back in to you. We love you so much. Help us to follow you, and love our friends, family, and neighbors. Give us the strength to change so we can call one another in rather than out. We pray this in your name, Amen.