Tony and I have been having a bit of a chat (if comments after a blog constitute a chat) based on some his reflections on Zacceus. It started about Jesus inviting himself to the party and making the first move, but for us this is a fearful thing to do. Tony commented on 1 john 4:18 says that perfect love casts out all fear. If God is perfect love, then there is no room or even possibility of fear in him. so, if he loves us perfectly, then why would he be afraid to make the first move?

Got me thinking about the link with detached work and how it’s the cold contact thing that people still find most frightening. I was wondering about some sort of image people based on jn 4.18 that people could hold when the make those first tentative steps towards a bunch of young people. Yet whilst this could help it is the experience of God’s perfect love that can’t be pinned down to an image that will release us from fear. In the training how do I communicate that personal experience, of God meeting with you personally and perfectly that sustains the whole of life not just enables the cold contact. Maybe it about my story being part of the story and people discovering their own part in the story, and not something that can be communicated.