“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 21
You are asking yourself why I am writing another one of these boring blog articles. Sometimes I ask myself the same question. Why would any introverted person keep trying to do this? I am again, not sure. I know that I need to tell others about Christ, and I have to do that in the only way I can communicate.
Throughout my life I have been inundated from the pulpit that if I do not go and tell people about Christ by going up to them and to their face telling them about Christ, that my salvation is in doubt. As a result of this I have at times been in doubt about it and I have come to believe that is an unfair assessment of the ability of every one to have open communication.
I am not sure of the problem with me but I have never been good with verbal communication. I have been told that if I can talk to someone about sports or any subject that I can jump right in after that and talk to others about Christ. How does that work when you cannot talk to others about other subjects either? Why can’t I talk? That is another question that has haunted me for life.
Recently I have been doing some research on me and my apparent affliction of non-communication. I am not good with one on one conversations and I have a very difficult time looking people in the eye. My question to the pastors and others out there that doubt my salvation because of non-communication – why?
Here is what I came across in my research, and I am pretty well positive that this is me:
“Asperger syndrome was a former diagnosis, now part of the broader Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), characterized by challenges with social interaction, communication (like nonverbal cues), and repetitive behaviors/interests, but often with normal to high intelligence and language skills, leading to difficulty understanding social rules, blunt speech, and intense focus on specific topics, though individuals can lead fulfilling lives.”
So here I am at the twilight years of my life with an actual clue as to why I am me. To all the well-meaning clergy I have known in my life God has given me a voice to tell others about him, but the voice comes out on electronic paper (you can print it out if you want). I am here to tell you though, not everyone can actually speak out. Some of us have to come in quietly, not in rants and loud speeches, but in this quiet little blog that not many people hear or respond to.
“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD, And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake; And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”
1 Kings 19:11-12
That is why I continue this small effort.
~AE
Voice of the Introverts 