Have you ever encountered evil at such an extreme level that it filled you with outrage? Did this seem to be the only possible reaction? Was it helpful in dealing with the situation? So is rage a motivator or inhibitor of response? Rage is a destruction reaction, not a helpful action. Do you see other people who are at peace and wonder how they could not be as furious as you? Yet they are in a better position to address the injustice than you are. Did  my own life seem to be driven more by outrage or peaceful action? I am the source of peace and will provide it for you.

Have you ever gotten someone’s name wrong? Has anyone ever done this for your name? This is assumed to be a minor social mistake, and people are not usually deeply offended and those who do it are quick to accept correction. This is a far less serious offense than being mean or hateful. Wouldn’t you rather someone was incorrect about your name than being mean to you? I feel the same way. For there are many people who call me by a name that you do not recognize, but if they do and teach the things that I commanded, I will accept them for that.

Do you have a title? Do you want one? Have you found that people identify with their titles and cling to them? Have you noticed that most of the characters in the Bible didn’t have titles, and many that you consider to be operating in a particular office were not recognized as such till after their lifetimes? Who has the authority to confer titles? The generally recognized rule is that one with greater rank can promote those below him, but the church is not a traditional power hierarchy.

Are you eager to die? What do people cling to more than dear life itself? Keep this in mind when I ask you to lay down your life and pick up your cross and follow me. What could I ask that is more extreme, shocking and demanding than this? Yet you know that I came to give you abundant life. Can these things be reconciled? Both are real, and there is a connection between them. You will eventually die, but you have to die before you die if you want to really live. Haven’t you already been through this cycle, and found that letting go of dead things opened the door for a larger life for you?