Anticipating the Critics

I'm sure that Israel was shocked by some of the things the prophets had to say to them. I'm sure they thought the way they were living was fine in many of the instances that the prophets condemned. I'm sure they had reasons for what they did. Sometimes biblical criticism (haha, by which I mean criticism contained in the Bible) just seems so arbitrary. Sometimes proper action just seems arbitrary.

I live my life anticipating the prophets, the critics. I wonder what they could say about the things that I do. And you know, I just about always find something.

Examples?

- I'm currently writing an email to a friend where I'm talking about some small things going on in my life. I know it could be said that I should be focusing more on her and maybe us than me, and that my discussion of my own life is selfish. But - I don't know what to ask, I know she's interested in what's going on for me, and a news-y email can be more valuable to receive than a dry list of questions.

- Another? We're heading into a new school year and expecting new people in our major. I hope to take these guys out for coffee for a chance to get to know them better. A nice gesture, right? But one of the ones that we expect to join our group has been around the school for several years already, and I haven't made much of an effort to build a friendship with him before. If I try to build a friendship now, the prophets could accuse me of not caring about people unless they are in my particular group.

- I work with a lady who has a daughter my age, and I know her daugher. Through conversations on break I know that my coworker has some small but valid concerns about a relationship her daughter is in. Although I know this, I wouldn't express anything less than positive to the girl myself. Dupliciousness on my part? Acting as if I agree with whoever I'm talking to? Or respecting the confidentiality of my coworker's opinions in a situation where I don't need to be involved?

Maybe I'm wrong about the prophets. Although I've suspected this for a long time and I remember feeling this way and talking about it three or four years ago, a lot has changed since then, including me. Maybe now as I read through the prophets I would notice the objective reasons for their denunciations.

Part of the answer must lie in one's motives. Unfortunately, I can never be sure I am accurately discerning my own motives. And it's been hard that in many circumstances I have been accused of the wrong action for bad motives when all I intended was to do good.