The Church of Christ has accepted one of earth's most grievous sins into its camp. It has been here from day one of my introduction into this church that I love. We accept it because it is odorless. We are able to move about every continent while anesthetized by this cunning and sinful habit. I speak of pride.
We don't talk of pride much because it doesn't tickle Church of Christ ears....unless we are referencing someone other than ourselves. But it is a major problem about us. Ironically, while we don't detect it, the world smells it.
We look like one of the two guys praying in the temple; grateful we aren't like those denominational sinners. Yet, that sort was rejected and the humiliated one accepted. What's the deal?
In general, we are full of ourselves. Not coincidentally, the world goes basically un-evangelized. Yes, we make attempts...many and expensive...but our deep sleep causes us to be completely unaware of an invisible banner read by far too many which communicates this religion is for us...but not for them. Our failure to connect to the needy world is not due to lack of imagination and effort. It is due to our ignoring God's implicit plea for humility.
Our craving for being right and then repeating to the world we are the only ones right has caused the project to unravel on one end while we keep knitting on the other. The world wants and needs Jesus but it can't find him because we don't look like him. We are proud of being us.
While the Catholics build the hospitals and the Lutherans build the foreign schools and the Baptists scour for souls, we thank God we aren't like them. I'm not saying we do nothing of value or significance. I'm saying in general we have Church of Christ houses filled from Sunday to Wednesday with hearts brimming in pride that we know the Truth when we don't know any more than others. And it is quite clear we have ignored the part about pride.
We try to talk in classes as if pride is sinful; but our street talk betrays us. May we awaken to our great misdeed of blatant pride. My sin is ever before me.
5 comments:
Very well said!! and sadly so very true.
It's a grievous thing, what has become of the Church of Christ...there are those of us recognize the danger and ask the Spirit to guide us out of this dreadful darkness and let in His fresh air. You're right...it is an odorless gas that has numbed senses and put the body to sleep. We have soooo many who ignore the warning signs, refusing to open the windows...why is that? If caring shepherd's try to alert the sheep, the blissful sheep spread their 'rightful attitudes' and no matter how much the shepherd cares, the sheep continue in their 'right'-ness...blindly showing the world that 'we' are the only ones...right on. After all, aren't 'we' always RIGHT? However, there is light at the end of the tunnel and it won't leave us in the darkness. His light will continue burning because of people like you and those who listen...and stay focused on Him. Keep warning...Blessings!
Continuously knitting away while the other end is unraveling. Excellent analogy. Much truth exposed in this post.
Thank you, Terry, for being so brutally honest. When the truth hurts, we know we must find a balm to soothe the pain. When the pain comes from the balm, we know that we are being disciplined for our own good. Thank you for your boldness and insight. Enjoy the day!
I thank you Lord that I'm not prideful like those church-of-christers.
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