IT MAY BE WE NEED MORE SIN IN OUR LIVES

Ah, that was an unfair title. To be taken literally is blasphemy. What I really want to say is nearly as stark; yet this one will be true. It may be we need more sinners in our lives.

I wonder if the church doesn't show signs of living on the spoiled side of Americanism. I wonder if we have it so good in so many areas we've become finicky, fastidious, and fussy. The reason I question us is from the time Mary and I were converted "to the truth" it has been one heated argument after divisive conflict among the churches of Christ. For me it began with the surprising doctrine of mixed swimming. It escalated from there in preaching school as to whether it was liberal to have a mother's day out program. You understand the chatter all too well.

Are we spoiled rotten? Do our churches and individuals need more sinners in their lives (I speak as if we are not sinful enough ourselves.)? The world is broken. Young people without hair due to disease, old people committing suicide due to forgotten loneliness, and families whose emotions are thread-bare due to unwise money management and social pressures to keep up.

Each community is so broken it can hardly afford for those who have God-connections to get distracted over whether it's all right to lift hands during songs or whether women can pray when men are present. Such IS blasphemy.

There is great...no urgent....need for us to keep moving toward unity of Christ in the Spirit of peace as there are so many sinful and broken neighbors we cannot fix them all. It's so much worse. We can hardly fix but a very few. The need is there! The great...no urgent...news is the hope IS there!

May we think twice before we engage in doctrinal wars. Jesus always leans toward the broken sinner and their present plight. I believe you believe He still leans the same way today...through us.