This Saturday’s spiritual supplement is about rehearsing… rehearsing responses to your questioners.

Have you seen The Butler yet? In the film they show young students being taught how to be insulted, spit upon, even beaten, in preparation for their protests. I’ve read about this elsewhere as well. They rehearsed how they would meet their opposition so that when they met it they would apply what they’d learned and stay the course.

The picture posted here is a photograph taken in 1960 of a young girl being trained to withstand abuse.

Have you done that?

I have an answer when someone asks me, “Do you believe the bible is inspired?” Or “Why don’t you go to church anymore?” “Why’d you leave the ministry?” “How do you feel about being a hireling who abandoned the sheep when trouble came?” “Why are you so darn handsome?” (Just kidding!)

I’ve prepared short little answers to such questions so that I’m not caught off guard and so that I can actually be honest with them while maintaining my integrity and clarity of conscience. Plus it may help move the conversation in the way I’d prefer it to go. It doesn’t take long when you apply your mind to it. Just think about it for a few minutes and write it down in a journal and practice saying it.

It’s not being petty. It’s being prepared.

Have your rehearsed?