Letter to (Sir) from Jules Dervaes
Copyright © Jules Dervaes
May 29, 1991
Dear (Sir),
It was with mixed feelings that I read your letter which I received the day before Pentecost. Initially I felt relieved that you were brave enough to at least approach me directly and do so in a manner that was not anonymous. Your words had the ring of truth to them. But, I also had strong feelings that, even while you gave such good advice, you had—apparently, it would seem—already in your heart pre-judged me in mine.
This upset me because with all the correct words you had to say I feel as if you had taken an incorrect approach towards me by pronouncing me guilty until proven innocent according to your perception.
Although you had hoped your letter to be one of encouragement, I read it with a feeling of helplessness as if you were trying, convicting, and sentencing me all at one fell swoop. Certainly you can judge an action as right or wrong IF that judgment is based solely on God’s! However, you never referred to any ACTION which I may have done which was a clear transgression of His law. What behavior you may consider sin is of no relevance whatsoever; and only God can judge the heart.
I wish that you would have come forward as a real defender of your faith rather than an accuser of mine. Then we might have been able to have had a good Berean-type talk enabling us BOTH to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.
As it is, you don’t know me and, I would guess, you don’t care to. Since you have never talked personally with me, you yourself could not know first hand what my attitude even is. What could it be that you know ABOUT me? We all have to be careful—don’t we?—about lumping people together into nice, neat categories.
Maybe you saw “me,” that is, my van (with me in it) holding up a banner and several signs on the street in Pasadena. If so, do you consider my demonstrating like that to be an open-and-shut case convicting me of a bad attitude?
Not everyone who speaks out PUBLICLY against something or someone must—as you seem to think—be in a bitter state of mind. You need only weigh, if you will, the example of the Old Testament men later regarded as the prophets of God. Also consider Jesus who spoke to crowds fiercely denouncing the teachers of the law and Pharisees of His day. If Jesus can do it, so can I. And, more than that, SO SHOULD I!
As to what you did explain about bitterness, I want you to know that I have, indeed, had bouts with that since I am not immune to this very common sin. However, being tempted, as you know, is not the same as having sinned.
On most occasions I have beaten back the tendency toward being mean-spirited. Even though there are those times when I do fall, I do soon realize (praise God) that I am wrong and am sorry for what I was saying or thinking.
What you wrote is true; bitterness is a cancer. I, therefore, must always be on guard not to let it take root in me. And so, I am appreciative of your taking the opportunity to warn me of this ever-present, virulent danger.
May God’s Word be a lamp to your feet and a light for your path.
Jules Dervaes