When I was 5 years old I would play outside all day. Sometimes I would play by myself or sometimes I would play with friends at their home. If my mom needed me to come home, she would call my name and I would run home.
I remember one day a group of us were walking up and down the sidewalk in front of my house. Suddenly, out of no where, Lavi, was standing in front of our group. We quickly stopped in our tracks... Not out of fear of her, but because we heard she had the chicken pox. We all backed up slowly in unison leaving her alone with a look of puzzlement. Unknown to us, she was not contagious anymore.
What happened to Lavi, happens to many believers in the church. They go through a difficult challenge or they fall to sin. Other believers, like our neighborhood group, slowly back up in unison throwing out quaint Christian sayings, but leaving the hurting believer standing alone floundering and hurting.
I like what a friend on twitter said:"The church is not a cruise ship, it's a rescue ship." (@RascalTweets) Why do we let hurting people fall through the cracks? Just like our neighborhood group, we walk in fear not love. We fear we might catch what they have or we do not know what to say. There can be many excuses, but the root cause of neglecting hurting believers, in my opinion, is fear.
There was a time when my husband, children and I were going through difficult challenges. We were hurting and felt hopeless. There were two families that graciously invited us into their homes for meals and treated us with kindness. They poured love into our lives. They didn't preach at us. There was a time when one of them had to speak a word of correction to us and it was easy to receive because we knew we were loved.
Why do you think hurting people fall through the cracks in the church? What can we do?
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1John 4:18
It's so hard when people slip through the cracks. I've learned though that I can only help people as much as they want. There's a guy right now who only wants to complain about all the wrongs done to him. So I let him...and try to make the most of every opportunity to love him and honor him. But he needs to make the choices when no one is looking...and ask God for forgiveness when he makes the wrong ones.
ReplyDeleteGod builds his church. Shepherds (and people) shouldn't scatter.
Thank you for commenting! You are right... You can minister in love to people, but it is their responsibility to make the right choices.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and question. I believe that people who are fearful or prideful haven't truly experienced the love of God themselves. They haven't humbled themselves before Him to receive His fullness, so they aren't able to extend it to others. I agree with RevTrev that people have to be willing to be helped, but our responsibility is to start on our knees before God. Then extend Him to others and let Him do the work.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the challenge, Jeanette.
Great post! I fell through the cracks! It is almost as if the mission of the church is to run off people that need Jesus! It sounds funny, but a lot of churches I have been too don't really remind me of what i read in the NT about church.
ReplyDeleteHome meetings are making a comeback!
Praise God for you!
Thank you Lyn for you comment! I agree with you that our responsibility as believers is to pray and seek God's face!
ReplyDeleteConrad, Thank you for commenting!I think why some churches seem to run off has to do with what Lyn mentioned. Fear, pride, and not humbling themselves keeps them from experiencing the love of God. You can't give what you do not have. Home meetings are a good place to establish strong relationships in Christ.
ReplyDeleteVery good blog Jeannette!
ReplyDeleteThank you Tim!
ReplyDelete