Got church?
Got cliques?
Got nutcases?
Got valium?
The cliques that make it seem like junior high, the worship team that's absolutely determined to alienate the older members of the congregation, the music minister who figures church music goes downhill from Gregorian chants, and the hardcore vegan meal organiser...
...and their kids!
It's enough to make one want to be a stylite...you know, those monks who lived on top of pillars.
My pillar's taller than yours!
Yeah, well I have less room so I'm more holy!
'I get more wind here!'
Long pause.
'Yo' mamma!'
It can be seriously tough to deal with a church family...
...uh, oh, hold the phone...
...family.
That's really what it's all about. If you're really a Christian, you're a sibling of Jesus.
And all of those exasperating irritating maddening doofuses are...
...oh, NO!
Your brothers and sisters.
But hey, all that delicious sibling rivalry, it's not behind you!
You get to play it out again, with pastor and spouse as Dad and Mom!
And you can, once again, hold your face until you turn blue!
You threaten to run away from home!
You may be tempted. You may be driven to the edge of reason.
But however much you think of leaving, don't.
They're family.
And besides, you get to give someone else the reason to want to run away!
Sylvia suggests mixing peyote in with their ice cream. Down, girl!
all it takes is a glance in the mirror to remind me that the church is far from perfect. forever and always, Jesus Saves.
ReplyDeletePerfect argument for church attendance! We need each other to be sandpaper for our rough splinters!
ReplyDeleteThis makes me smile, Andrew. People are people, wherever we go, whatever institutions we attend. May we all learn to have more grace with our "families" in any setting.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love this. Hope you don't mind me sharing it on my FB walls.
ReplyDeletePhysical families and spiritual families are full of humans, aren't they? May the Lord strengthen us to be loving and kind to all. :)
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I struggled so much with church for years. Since following God's leading to a new church plant seven years ago, my experience has been much, much better. There are still frustrations sometimes, but I feel much more accepted and it does feel like a family.
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