Shun Fear

The Christian Church in America

   I stood in the foyer of our church one Sunday morning watching people enter. A couple came in wearing motorcycle leathers, fringe, zippers everywhere, long-haired freaky people. I used to think I was as free a thinker as anyone and able to accept people for who they are, not who I want them to be.

The long and the short of it is that I froze. I wanted to welcome them and act like the person I longed to be, brave and accepting, but I was afraid. I was afraid that they would think me to be too stuffy, too judgmental, not motor-cycle-like enough for them.

What was I thinking?
 
They came into our church, braving our rejection, putting the most brave smiles on their faces, hoping for acceptance, in their hearts asking: 'please like me, let me stay, don't be mean to me.' And I was afraid.
   I hate having to admit my failing, but it is for you, my readers, that I do it. It is in the hopes that you too will see your failings and go to God to plead for his forgiveness and healing.

We all are afraid. 

It's because of our sin nature. And if we are not careful we will crawl back into our selfish little holes and forget that we are to love and to be known for our love. We want pretty people in our congregations, not people who are in need, but people who can pretend and look like they are not needy. 

Needy people are messy, hurting, scary. They don't act like us church people. Because we are so used to having no 'ripples' in our pond, they become incredibly scary, incredibly needy. They make all kinds of ripples in our pond and the water becomes muddy and it laps upon the edges of our safe lives. 

We forget that God is who He is and that His power is within us and that He can minister healing to us and them. All that is needed is a smile and a kind word. Can't we do that?
   Let's remove the stumbling blocks and make it easy for people to come to the cross. Let's accept the lost, hurting, scary people who need Jesus. Don't be known as a hypocrite to your Lord.
   Be brave: Love more.

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