Lately a lot has been going on in my life and it has made my eyes open to the fact that just because we say we are Christians, just because we go to church on Sundays, tithe, teach Sunday School, dine with the deacons, pray with the pastors, it doesn't mean we are good, upright or nice!
My husband doesn't attend church, he will go if the kids have something going on, but for the most part he doesn't go because he works on Sundays. But just because he doesn't attend church, does not mean he isn't a Christian, it doesn't mean he doesn't love the Lord and it doesn't mean he is going to hell! This is for many of you who simply can't attend church on Sundays.
My husband is kind, caring, loving, compassionate. He practices daily 1 Corinthians 13...Love isn't rude, proud, we all know it. He simply gets up in the morning with a smile on his face and works hard during the day for all of us. My husband reaches out to help me all the time. From the fire in the morning to warm the house, my coffee pot is on, he helps with laundry, cooking...right now as much as he despises wet and cold, he has taken the grandson to a scouting outing in the cold and rain.
My husband would never leave the house even in anger without kissing all of us good-bye, all of us hello when he returns, he walks next to me holding my hand...not in front of me as if he doesn't know me. He loves me and I know it!
I have a wonderful friend that is the same way. Just because I choose to go to church, doesn't mean they want to go, but I ask them anyway.
However, here is what I have been struggling with lately and my mind just can't get wrapped around the concept that Christians can be the most hateful, unforgiving, ill willed people I have ever known. The will tell others how they have forgiven, they will come up to you in church and smile and talk to you and even hug you & when they walk out those doors, they are just looking for a way to get at you....it may be subtle, but you see it, you feel it and you hear it!
Really does it for me is the way they treat their family. They sit next to them in church, they hug, they smile and they hold hands. The little ones sit next to grandma so happy to be near her and then, church is over and grandma won't see the kids until next Sunday. No calls, no visits, nothing and the husband/wife who were so sweet to each other in church aren't so nice after church.
This is hard for me. I struggle with people like this and I know they are mortal and I shouldn't and I cry out to God why are people this way and there are no answers. What hurts more is these type of people are the leaders in our churches, the ones we are supposed to believe love and care for us.
I don't know why today, I feel this post is necessary. Perhaps because I am struggling within my own self to make changes. Perhaps because my eyes were closed and now they are wide open. Perhaps because I am to lean on God and not my own understanding. Perhaps, because I have seen with my own eyes, the pain we as Christians cause each other.
If I have ever hurt any of you, I ask for forgiveness and I ask that if I do in the future, you let me know. Never is it my intention to ever be a mean person.
2 comments:
This was brought home to me very rudely one Sunday. We lived across the street from a large and well known church. I was home sick one Sunday and heard a loud crunch when church was let out and knew there had been an accident.
What I didn't know is that it was my car they hit.
And ran.
There is no doubt there were witnesses. There is no doubt the car belonged to my house.
I even complained to the church and no one ever came forward to make good on the damage they did to my car.
And yes it was one of the church goers.
Turns my stomach to this day.
Maybe they got it off their chest in confession. But that sure didn't help a struggling military family with a husband in the desert now did it?
Why yes, I am still salty about this.
I am so sorry Autumn, these are the types of things I am talking about! We can't have it both ways!
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