Pretty Serious Stuff

"You should think of the greater sufferings of others so you can endure your own small troubles easier. And if they do not seem small to you, then be careful that your impatience is not the reason they seem greater." - Thomas a Kempis

 

There are a few people at our church in the middle of some semi-heated, emotionally charged theological discussions right now that are pretty serious. I know it shouldn't be possible, but some strong Christian people that I know are coming close to hating each other. There is a lot at stake for these few...people are tempted to leave and go to another church unless someone else does, or at least changes, to satisfy their own perspectives on church doctrine or their own convictions about how to present it. It's tricky and messy, because we are talking about people's convictions here. And they all believe that people's souls hang in the balance based on "who win's". I, as the preacher here, am admittedly consumed by it...wondering how to be like Jesus in the midst of it. It's pretty serious stuff...

 

Until, that is, I hear about the man on the TV telling his story of struggling to hold on to his wife during the Hurricane in Louisiana as his house ripped in half. He said that his wife saw his inability to hang on without losing his hold on the house, so she said, "Let me go. You take care of our children and grandchildren. I'll be alright." That's the last he's seen of her. It sort of redefines what pretty serious stuff really is...

 

Until, that is, I hear about a man in Kenya who was quoted as saying, "Today, the United States is dealing with what much of the world deals with every day." I had to stop and think about that one. And a good friend of mine, as he spoke about it, made me realize that this dude in Kenya is wrong. Because in the United States we have boats going in there searching for people, helicopters lifting them out, relief food and water being collected to send down there, rebuilding plans and funds in the works...and all of this is happening without my having to sacrifice one necessity of life. In much of the rest of the world, the people are just left to die with no one even noticing (that's why we haven't heard about it). I sort of redefines what pretty serious stuff really is...

 

And I bet there is more. Back here on planet Amarillo...I can just shut off my TV, and stop talking to my friends on the phone who know better, and pretend that the problems around here are pretty serious.

 

Wow. That my fellow Christians believe that it's okay to not act like Christ with each other because they think the other one doesn't quite "get it" is pretty humiliating. Equally humiliating is that I'm talking about me.