Quote of the Day – A Wake Up Call
I subscribe to a neat little morning starter. Since I seem to live on the web (job demands me to use email and technology, and I have no complaints with that), years ago I ran across a Christian Quote of the Day service and subscribed to it. Yesterday’s quote was quite a thought starter for me!
[The Church] sees that human life must be lived in the quite fearless recognition of this insecurity of relationship between one man and another. Now, once again may I ask you the question, Is the Church cruel when she points this out, and demands that men should see it and take account of it in all the arrangements of this life? Surely the cruelty lies with those who talk glibly about the brotherhood of man, and superficially about peace, and romantically about marriage, as though the disturbances in Church and state and family were introduced into human life by a few evil-minded men. This is the real cruelty. How will you face up later to your married life, to your administration of affairs, to your life in the Church, in fact to any real part of your lives, if you are taught to think that your neighbor will or ought to agree with you in all points, will accept your solutions of his problems, will in fact be a reflection of your image? Once we get this stuff and nonsense into our heads, we shall never be able to live with anyone or with any group of men. We shall sulk when we are crossed, or run away from the Other–for Other they are. We shall certainly remove ourselves from the Church when we find it full of friction and yet proclaiming the love of God.
… Edwyn Clement Hoskyns (1884-1937)
Wow! In our times of political correctness run amok, our attempts to placate everyone and anyone, and our inability to coexist with one another in that Utopian world of peace and harmony, the audacity to say such a thing! Wait…this person wrote these words well before I was born, in fact they wrote about them while my parents were barely born. This Edwyn Hoskyns fellow, I wonder what interesting things he saw in his church!
Many in our fellowship came from other churches (the minority are those who have attended our church all their lives). We’ve seen different things, experienced other ways of ‘doing church’, and probably had our fair share of conflict (or, at best, uneasiness over how things are done). And heaven help others if they don’t see it our way!
Our options? We can stay and sway – you know, either folks campaign for ‘their way’ until judgment day. Sometimes this takes on the face of a political campaign (join with us, tell your friends, and attend business meetings). Other times, this becomes the proverbial ‘thorn in the side’ approach – where the point is to stay and irritate / agitate others (this is especially prominent after some decision doesn’t go this person’s way). More often, the option taken is underground revolutionary tactics. We’re too holy to disagree much publicly, but the plotting has begun and – in the end – our way will prevail!
The other option is to plea and flee – we make or state our case and when things go against ‘their way’ we pick up our bouncy ball and jacks and leave to find some other place. A place where ‘those others’ are not attending. A place where more enlightened, more holy folks exist. And the cycle goes on and on.
I’ve got to say, we get passionate about our ‘issue’ – whatever that may be. We place a premium on some of our personalities (those in leadership), and forget that none of this is new. None of this is a surprise to God. And – in the end – it’s not about God at all. It’s all about us and ‘me’. And that is so sad.
Everyone (certainly not just Seaford Baptist) – why do you attend church? Is it to catch up on fashions? Gossip (under the guise of prayer requests)? To worship in a way you find ‘correct’ (which must mean it’s God’s way too)? To hear contemporary music played by a live band? To hear hymns sung by a crowd of people? To have a positive influence of folks on your kids or family?
I must say – and I think you (the reader) will understand – church SUCKS! I don’t mean that in any bad or hateful way, but churches are filled with people. This is not the end goal of our existence, to do church right (whatever that is). And since people are always there, we bring our own set of issues and problems to the table. We don’t leave them at home, work, or school. We pull them into play at church. And for that reason, don’t go to any church and be surprised when there are problems, issues, and people rallying around certain causes that keep friction happening in the church. We won’t have a chance to find the perfect church on this planet, because it does not exist. And it won’t ever exist until it is filled with perfect people – and you are not there yet (and neither am I).
That’s why church ROCKS! We get the chance to learn to live with each other – with our warts, imperfections, and all that comes along with it. We’re a family, and families have ups, downs, and all that is in between. It’s how we learn, and it is how we mature – both as members of a family, members of society, and kids in God’s family.
Having issues with conflict at church? Something not going the way you think it should? Good! To many that is a sign of health and vitality, for there is an opportunity to grow beyond where we are so we can become more like Christ.
Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Cor 13:11 NIV)
Aim for perfection (realize it is a goal). Be of one mind (should be for the cause of Christ). Live in peace (because nowhere in this or other verses are we told we would have anything other than troubles in this world – we should learn to get along as kids of the King of Kings).