I wish I could remember who told me years ago that churches and bars are the last, most persistent places of segregation. I suspect this is because people often spend time in those two places when they want to be "among their own," like minded folks who will not challenge them to consider changing.
I'm much more frustrated by the first set of "stuck in the mire" folks, who I know are often in a position to be the hands and feet of God to folks who expect churches to be places to learn more about God. I don't have expectations of folks in bars, good and kind and well-intentioned folks though they may be. In my experience they are too often working way to hard at having a good time. But then I know folks like that at church too!
Sometimes I do wonder where Christ would have found the most receptive listeners if there had been bars and churches when he was walking this Earth. We know that the church people (known as Pharisees and Sadducees) not only harassed his followers but actually arranged His death. And we know that all kinds of folks from the terrifically ill to the well-educated, from laborers to centurions, men, women and children, Jews and Gentiles endured significant inconvenience and even danger to follow Him.
So this is what I'm thinking about this: I think Jesus went (and wants us to go) wherever people are hurting, lonely, in pain, without hope, feeling unloved and unlovely. I think He wants us to be more worried about being tender with the least of these our brothers and sisters, who may be homeless or may be loveless in a mansion, than fixating on our own fears, limits and needs. Because when we treat others as we want to be treated ourselves the Spirit of God blesses us, speaks to us and encourages us to speak to Him.
It is a joyous journey.
Jesus said,"...I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners. Mark 2:16b
I'm much more frustrated by the first set of "stuck in the mire" folks, who I know are often in a position to be the hands and feet of God to folks who expect churches to be places to learn more about God. I don't have expectations of folks in bars, good and kind and well-intentioned folks though they may be. In my experience they are too often working way to hard at having a good time. But then I know folks like that at church too!
Sometimes I do wonder where Christ would have found the most receptive listeners if there had been bars and churches when he was walking this Earth. We know that the church people (known as Pharisees and Sadducees) not only harassed his followers but actually arranged His death. And we know that all kinds of folks from the terrifically ill to the well-educated, from laborers to centurions, men, women and children, Jews and Gentiles endured significant inconvenience and even danger to follow Him.
So this is what I'm thinking about this: I think Jesus went (and wants us to go) wherever people are hurting, lonely, in pain, without hope, feeling unloved and unlovely. I think He wants us to be more worried about being tender with the least of these our brothers and sisters, who may be homeless or may be loveless in a mansion, than fixating on our own fears, limits and needs. Because when we treat others as we want to be treated ourselves the Spirit of God blesses us, speaks to us and encourages us to speak to Him.
It is a joyous journey.
Jesus said,"...I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners. Mark 2:16b
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