​Conviction is a beautiful thing.

It's the Holy Spirit burrowing deep within our chests, knocking His knuckles

against bony rib, and reminding us that we are not invincible.

But like all things, conviction can become a jail cell if we seek to weaponize it.

There's a forever kind of freedom when we live following God's laws, but what about turning what's not written law into a strand of imperatives we require of our brothers and sisters?

Who, might I ask, is playing God now?

I've known people to claim that drinking alcohol is a sin.

I've known people to claim that only true followers use the name "Yeshua" instead of "Jesus."

And I've loved these people with a grace gifted to me by God.

Because even though our convictions are different, there's a sweet trace of grace trailing through our desires to keep our brothers and sisters from stumbling and to help them live well.

So, may we not require each other to live up to our own standards, but to allow God the ultimate authority in directing the dance of our feet.