Bethany and I go shopping, many times together, on a weekly basis (does anyone else ever feel like buying the basics...that you have to buy again the next week, is a poor use of money? ;-). On one of our more recent trips we had an interesting experience at the Meijer self checkout...As we were going through the process one employee mentioned to another that they were getting to go home early. That was quickly followed by a full volume discussion about how that was not fair, how the employee who was staying had been there longer that day, and generally how none of them really wanted to be there at all!!!
While there is a great deal that could be said about this, the one thing I kept thinking was how I have seen this with many people in the church! They talk loudly about the people in their church who bother them, how they disagree with the direction something is going, and candidly voice their opinion about a misstep they feel the pastor has made. Then at the next big holiday/event/push, after hearing all this...THEY INVITE YOU TO THE PLACE THEY SEEM TO ONLY BE ABLE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEMSELVES!!!!
While no person or place is perfect, the God we serve and worship is! The beauty of many different flavors of church, is that we have a variety of options and can pick the place where we fit best...to plant ourselves and make a long term difference! Next time someone bothers you or you disagree with something, go to the source and remember how your public negativity colors how other people see and are able to experience God!
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