I must say my tail feathers have been a bit ruffled within
the past few days! As I continue on,
it’s my intention to explain the things I’ve seen and heard in an honest, but
to the point fashion. Although my words
may be stern in some places, there is no malice intended in them. The point I wish to make here is not
necessarily that my tail feathers have been ruffled, but in fact, how the
things that I’ve seen and heard affect unbelievers and the body of Christ, both in negative ways. My hope is that we can learn from instances
like these and be guided by the Holy Spirit so that the Body of Christ can be
most effective in these last days.
I recently had a discussion with a long time acquaintance while I was out and about doing some shopping. Although I see this person only once every few months or so, I have been acquainted with this person for twenty plus years.
The conversation started out quite commonly with the typical, “Hey, how’s life treating you”…and so on. Then it quickly turned to a conversation where this person was telling me that the body of Christ is really hurting because of things like… the ceilings in the churches are painted black and people wear jeans to church and look like bums. I could go on…but, I’ll leave it at these two statements.
The thing is…this is a free country and we’re all entitled to our opinions…just as I am freely stating my opinion now. So, I’m not saying that it’s wrong for her to have her own opinions. What bothers me, is the example this person, a citizen in the body of Christ, is making in a fairly loud, condemning way without regard to others within earshot.
It’s my understanding that as Christians, we will continually have something to work on in our lives until we enter Heaven’s gates. God sees us as righteous because…and only because of what Jesus did on the cross for us. None of us are perfect. Only Jesus holds that title. He finds us in the muck and mire. Even so, He picks us up and each at a different pace cleans us up.
So, what if a unbeliever hears the words that this person speaking about how “it’s wrong to wear jeans to church?” What if this statement keeps someone from attending church for the first time? Aren’t churches supposed to be places that accept hurting people…who perhaps may be wearing jeans? I have to tell you…I like to wear jeans. I don’t even own a dress. However, I do wear dress clothes when a situation calls for it. And, I’m not a rebel; I just know what I like. The last time I checked, though, I am still very much anointed to do what God has created and called me to do whether I’m wearing jeans or not.
I see this person’s statements as a negative for both the unbeliever and the Christian alike…but in different ways. These types of statements hurt unbelievers because they already may feel unaccepted by those who are believers before they even darken the door of a church. On the other hand, it just makes believers look bad and judgmental of unbelievers and believers alike!
Here in the
I have to tell you, I did not grow up in a Christian family. I did attend church as a child from time to time. I even attended church camp and received Jesus as my Savior as a child. But my understanding of how God loved me didn’t hit me until way later in my life. Needless to say, I have had A LOT of things to overcome…more than some folks, but less than others. I don’t count myself perfect in any way, shape or form. I will continue to ask God on a regular basis to take out of me what He doesn’t want in me and fill me with more of Him.
Now, with that said, my experiences while God has been cleaning me up have been incredible. What I mean by that is that when my “behavior” has been “less than” what some Christians “thought it should have been”, I have been ridiculed, scorned and iced out by them. Really! I wish they would have taken the time to get to know me so that they could understand why I was hurting…instead of deciding that I wasn’t “holy enough” to be around them. There was a time or two in my life where I was so depressed that I was ready to take my own life (and nearly did once) because I didn’t think I could make it any longer. My Christian friend didn’t help me, rather I was accused by this person of attempting to manipulate with the mention of suicide to her. I was told that I was no longer wanted as her friend. I have since then forgiven this person…just so you know. J
The litmus test of our love for God is our love of neighbor. ~ Brennan Manning OUCH!
I’m grateful that God gave me the strength to hold onto Him so that I could get to the point where I have a better understanding of His love…something that wasn’t modeled to me by so many when I needed it the most. But, I am also grateful that I went through these things in this way. Yes…I am grateful! My experiences have given me a unique understanding of what to do and not do. Of course, I’m not perfect. I still make mistakes which is exactly why I need the grace of God.
Where are we as followers of Christ if we cannot or will not help the hurting because of our own preconceived ideas of what they should look like or act like? I’m grateful that Jesus didn’t turn me away because of the miry mess that I was in. Who am I to turn another away because I don’t believe they’re “good enough”… for whatever reason?
The fields are ripe for harvest. But are we willing to accept the look of the ripened field and be Jesus to them? He cleans us up from the inside out…or have we forgotten that?
Is it so important what our churches look like…inside or out? What would we do if we didn’t even have a church building like so many around the world? It’s the living God inside of us that makes the difference…not what we look like or the look of the place we worship.
We, the Body of Christ, need to take off our rose color glasses of what we “think” a believer or even a church should look like. We need to remember that the righteousness that we partake of comes NOT from anything that we have done, but from everything that Jesus did for us. As the body of Christ, we need to wake up and smell the coffee! The time is short! It’s God’s desire that ALL men be saved and come to know the knowledge of truth. 1 Tim 2:4
Now, it’s not my intention to pick on either of the folks mentioned in this blog at all. One of them I approached years ago and discussed the way things were handled and the other; I did state my opinions clearly and kindly in opposition to what was said. It is no secret as to how I felt about what was said in either instance. However, the things that were said to me recently did stir things up within in me that I have wanted to put on paper for a long time.
God has a purpose for all things, and in His timing, He takes those things out of us that He no longer wants in us…opening our eyes to more of His truth…removing the rose colored glasses, so to speak, and allowing us to share with others as He leads us.
Please do be in prayer with me for the body of Christ to rise up and be the Church that God intended us to be. The time is short.
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