The Eye-Candy Church
The World has so many hurting people. If we open our hearts more than our eyes, we will hear from God and know what to say and do for those we meet. What kind of ministry does God ask His church to do?
What do people from the outside looking in see? What do those hurting in the church see?
They see people willing to be in charge, to run programs, to advertise upcoming events, to produce programs, to serve on a committee, to make planning decisions, but it seems people in the church leave life-on-life work to "other" Christians who are better at those messy relationships. How funny!
The "God of relationships" calls us to minister to one another as our first service not to what is left over after we finish the important work of running a church, planning great programs, and having attractive events. This is the eye candy for the lost, not the substance for the bride!
This is not for the bride of Christ (a follower, a child of God). She already adores Him. She doesn't need you to make Him appealing or approachable. He is all those things to her already.
What do people from the outside looking in see? What do those hurting in the church see?
They see people willing to be in charge, to run programs, to advertise upcoming events, to produce programs, to serve on a committee, to make planning decisions, but it seems people in the church leave life-on-life work to "other" Christians who are better at those messy relationships. How funny!
The "God of relationships" calls us to minister to one another as our first service not to what is left over after we finish the important work of running a church, planning great programs, and having attractive events. This is the eye candy for the lost, not the substance for the bride!
This is not for the bride of Christ (a follower, a child of God). She already adores Him. She doesn't need you to make Him appealing or approachable. He is all those things to her already.
The real question is "Are you approachable and available to the seeking heart that has needs?" And are you ready for the call? Do you need to seek God in how to prepare to serve daily, spontaneously, un-expectantly?
What consumes your time? Where do you invest your life? What do you neglect?
I know I waste a lot of time and neglect a lot of what is God's best for worldly trash. I go in cycles of doing good and then falling into selfishness, laziness and pleasure. I run after the things of the world and get all tangled up. It doesn't even have to be fun to be satisfying my 'me-centeredness' -- it just has to be my will and choice and not God's.
I find myself often ignoring God, and just doing what I want to do. I sometime waste a whole day and act like this world is all that really is. Do you? Is this world all there is?
Our homes are filled with such trash, and we are in such debt, we are slaves to things, but we refuse to break free from it all... and we grab more and more every chance we get. Such momentary pleasure...and no eternal treasure. Open up the attic door, walk through the garage. What is hidden in your closets or under your bed?
I am not sure we can ever learn how to live simple -- without more than we really need in America. We keep thinking we never have enough, and we will go through so much to get something of such little value... really anything that is not eternal is empty of value. We can spiritualize it and say it is for ministry but God is not so quick to call eye-candy what it is not. It is so hard to learn this in such a advertisement-based, hollywood-drive, wealthy country.
Stop for about 5 minutes, and take a look around the room you are sitting in... can you find anything of eternal value?
Blessed is the mom who is sitting at home with her children teaching them to learn and who has open arms to hug her husband. Simple tools of life are needed to be able to function and to be a child of the King of kings. I wish I could live in this reality instead of the one I live in most of the time.
But in my little world with my children, husband and family - I am blessed - these relationships are eternal and through God we are growing closer and loving more.
What consumes your time? Where do you invest your life? What do you neglect?
I know I waste a lot of time and neglect a lot of what is God's best for worldly trash. I go in cycles of doing good and then falling into selfishness, laziness and pleasure. I run after the things of the world and get all tangled up. It doesn't even have to be fun to be satisfying my 'me-centeredness' -- it just has to be my will and choice and not God's.
I find myself often ignoring God, and just doing what I want to do. I sometime waste a whole day and act like this world is all that really is. Do you? Is this world all there is?
Our homes are filled with such trash, and we are in such debt, we are slaves to things, but we refuse to break free from it all... and we grab more and more every chance we get. Such momentary pleasure...and no eternal treasure. Open up the attic door, walk through the garage. What is hidden in your closets or under your bed?
I am not sure we can ever learn how to live simple -- without more than we really need in America. We keep thinking we never have enough, and we will go through so much to get something of such little value... really anything that is not eternal is empty of value. We can spiritualize it and say it is for ministry but God is not so quick to call eye-candy what it is not. It is so hard to learn this in such a advertisement-based, hollywood-drive, wealthy country.
Stop for about 5 minutes, and take a look around the room you are sitting in... can you find anything of eternal value?
Blessed is the mom who is sitting at home with her children teaching them to learn and who has open arms to hug her husband. Simple tools of life are needed to be able to function and to be a child of the King of kings. I wish I could live in this reality instead of the one I live in most of the time.
But in my little world with my children, husband and family - I am blessed - these relationships are eternal and through God we are growing closer and loving more.
Comments
This is an intense post, very well written, Lindy, and indeed a challenge to each and every one of us. It's an issue that is dear to my own heart.
Events, programs, committees -- all of these are 'good' things, but they cannot be the center and focus of the body of Christ, and sadly, too often they are. Jesus was not involved in events, programs or committees, nor did He encourage His disciples to do so. Instead, He invited them to reach out, minister to and love 'the least of these.' The members of this group -- The Least of These -- are found everywhere. Even in our very own church families. Our various churches can become so overly involved with way too many things at once, when really, what is needed is perhaps to be involved in a few things, done with love, kindness, compassion, thoughtfulness. Relationships need to be made and nurtured first and foremost because people don't want to be viewed and thought of as some church's latest project. It can be easy to forget the people when too much focus is placed on the program or event.
This is SO very convicting, with much to chew on and ingest. Thanks for posting it and making us all stop to think.
Blessings,
Pam
Relationships are King in His Kingdom! We need to be there more for each other - to listen, to help and to care.
Thank you for sharing.