“7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Heb 13:7-16 ESV)

To be reminded how people “do things”, it humbles, it humors, it motivates. We are motivated to see “for real” life portrayed; we are motivated to get a little “juice” from an encounter; we are motivated because beyond the wow factor, supremacy is shown in lesser climes.

In lesser leaning on “might makes right” and more leaning on “determination”, “punctiliousness”, “courage”. We are courageous to lance forth amidst a Totally Engaged framework, a Totally Monitored situational awareness, a Totally Engendered decision to engage or to disengage… with a foe, with an ally, with that horrendous Reality of executive decisions in the hands of those for whom much prayer is lifted up: that Life would prevail, but not simply our own lives and that of loved ones, rather that all Life would be under the banner called Service, no mocking sacrifices but rather sincere Dalliances, with a foe, with an event horizon, with the edge of Tomorrow.

Because it is a rather sharp thing, that Christian expression or witness as required, as demanded, as ordered up. It is confrontational, it requires boldness vis-a-vis a breakage, in the social norms, in the downward tug, in the slow molasses of society. And, too, the Courage: this is invested in and engendered upon a bedrock faith in more than simple Friendship Evangelism, but in Spiritual Guile, testamentary words, requests that for a moment a joint prayer be spoken.

It is no laughing matter to see salvation on the line, the sheer Encounter and veering forth on a new and wondrous tangential course, post-Encounter. We stand to be both convicted at times of lauding our own accolades over and against those of Christ, while also Encouraged that He led the way for dutiful Acceptance and Form-Fitting, Role-Playing office: the office of saint, if honored, if lauded, all that without getting “to the head”, going to the head, of its occupant.