Yesterday, my family and I went out for lunch and in doing so we saw an area minister we used fellowship with from time to time. Together, we used to be involved in a pastor's group for our city. It was the first time I had seen this person since leaving the CLB. We were one booth over and as I sat down, I said hello to him. Grinning politely, he nodded and said hello and that was that.
Barring trying to read more into this than is real, there was a part of me that was hurt. He hasn't seen me for over a year and a half, never has spoken to me or reached out to find out why I had disappeared from the ministerial scene, and this, being the first time seeing me, I expected more. Maybe this is selfish on my part, but would it be too hard to stop by on the way out and say, "How are you doing?" I guess, in all fairness, I should have gotten up from my table and went and said it to him, but I'm the one who's been missing, you know?
God forgive me if I've been this way in the past. I hope that I've not ignored or chosen to refuse a friendly encounter, simply because someone was no longer in the company of my fellowship. I probably have. We reap what we sow, so I probably have sown my own hurt feelings. For that I'm truly sorry. I can say that there have been others I have seen since leaving and have went out of my way to say hello to them. Although, I must confess sometimes I have done it to gauge the response I'd receive from them. And thankfully, most of the time, it's been pleasant and a blessing to both of us. But still this bothers me…
How can the church continue to be the church with factions and divisions based on whose loyal or disloyal to whom? Isn't this whole church thing supposed to be about Jesus? Are we not first and foremost supposed to be loyal to him?
Didn't Paul rebuke people for saying they were for him or they were with Apollos?
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas a"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into b the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, TNIV)
What does the modern-day church do with this scripture? We must learn to wrestle with these things before it tears up more hearts, lives, and churches.
Could it be that Jesus was warning us when he told the disciples to call no man "father"?
"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Matthew 23:8-12, TNIV)
God give us grace to be humble enough to realize that our game isn't the only game in town, that our yoke (interpretation) of the scripture isn't the only yoke there is. Give us grace to learn how to bless those who walk a different road, even if it means leaving our side. Teach us how to love, even when we don't really know the whole story, and give us the opportunities and desire to ask the questions to find the story they long to share. Forgive us where we've snubbed, turned away and lost heart. Heal us where we are wounded, that we may become strongest in the broken places.
