What I'm Not Saying

I'm not saying I have it all figured out.
I'm not saying I behaved perfectly.
I'm not saying I never said anything wrong.
I'm not saying anyone's not a Christian.
I'm not saying names.
I'm not talking about the past, but the present.

I am saying that truth matters.
I am saying that trouble can be prevented.
I am saying that I care about other ministers.
I am saying that I care about specific congregations and specific people in them.

I don't believe that what I have said will do any good.
I don't believe that I can change the minds of people who don't want to change.
I don't believe that those involved are being intentionally deceptive.
I don't believe that those involved are evil, only mistaken.

I know that I still feel pain most days.
I know that I feel wronged, even if I wasn't.
I know that the scars and wounds may be more than my ministry career can bear.
I know that I will never quit ministering, even if I never get on another church's payroll.

I know that God is faithful.
I know that God is just.
I know that those last two statements trump all of the rest.
Jason