WE NEED TO TALK...

...it doesn't matter from whose mouth we hear these four little words escaping from, it's almost NEVER good, whether a parent, a friend, sibling, boyfriend/girlfriend, teacher, boss, husband/wife... We need to talk is usually a precursor to:

• this isn't working out
• your behavior is unacceptable
• we're going in different directions
• your grades are unsatisfactory
• It's not you, it's me...

Even more predictable than the words that trail is the reaction from the person listening. With only four small words uttered, we often times find ourselves caught in great anxiety, thinking back to EVERY little offense we possibly could have committed trying to figure out what might ensue. Oh, how our hearts can race in those moments and how quick our minds can recall every detail of what we might have done wrong.

This is but a fragment of what I can only imagine it would be like when we are face to face with Jesus. When we stand before our Savior, Jesus Christ, and he says to us, "We need to talk," I believe our very own minds will convict us of every sin we have ever committed in life before He even utters another word. Romans 14:12 proclaims "So [then] each of us shall give an account of himself [to God]." All I can say is that when that time comes, we will not be surprised. We are taught very well what is good, what is right, and what is of God, for the glory of God. Anything in between and not of Him is likely to follow those four little words, in our mind, and perhaps in His voice. One thing is for sure, unlike an unforeseen break-up, He'll likely say, "It's not me, it's you." And so I am reminded of, and leave you readers with, these great words to live by, from John the Baptist: "He must increase; I must decrease." John 3:30

Perhaps living this now would alleviate some of that anxiety when we are face to face with Jesus, our just judge. Yes, we are sinners, but we ought to live as saints, knowing that in doing so we will no longer be conformed of this world, but be transformed by Christ. Word of caution: when you decide to live as a saint know that you will be completely broken, so that you might be remade closer to the image of Christ, because in order for Him to increase, again, we must decrease.