Today we have the message, "Come as you are... you can change inside." I have so many thoughts about this. It reminds me of a story my dear friend Ken W told me about his former church. They had a slogan that said, "first we catch them, then we clean them." [as if people were fish.]
Here is the message... we accept you as you are, briefly. Soon after you enter, we will begin to shape you and mold you and guilt you so that you sound and look like us, like we think Christians should look.
So let's be clear, I do believe that our faith should effect our behavior, it should change us. It should make us more loving and gracious. But that is up to God. That is between you and God. We should never try to make other people straighten out. We are not the Holy Spirit. We are here to love people. If God wants someone to change, God can work on them.
Here is my real problem... do you think that this message on this sign makes people want to come to church there? No. Absolutely not. In fact, anyone who does not go to church will be further repulsed by this message. They won't want to go to any church.
End of tirade.
Now let's see the good. You and I don't have to judge people as needing to change. We can work to love them and understand them and welcome them. That is what Jesus did.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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