One of the primary purposes for Living To Hear Six is to start a conversation. That’s why there are no Christian symbols (cross or fish) on anything. The purpose is to have someone ask…”What does that mean?” It’s the “in” to a conversation that most people desperately want to have but are afraid to ask. The response needs to be loving and accepting, not preachy or condemning. This is your opportunity to tell a stranger about the love of Jesus. If you focus on Jesus the response will be loving. If you focus on your egos perception of Christianity and Religion it can come across as preachy or condemning. People desperately need Jesus and they’re hungry for that comfort. Don’t talk “church” talk “love”. Talk Jesus.
Let’s face it…many of us have had at least one bad experience in a church setting in our lives; either with a pastor, priest, deacon, nun, elder, or member. I recall one time I visited a Women’s Bible Study and enjoyed the lesson. It was about spiritual gifts and how to recognize which gift you had. Afterwards, during coffee the women were discussing how to update the entryway to the church. It had been over 25 years since the entryway had been painted and updated and the girls were ready for an extreme makeover! But the discussion turned ugly when one of the women said the coat hangers that had been there since 1960 had to be replaced. Turns out someone’s deceased great uncle made the coat hangers and they were not coming down until she was taken out of that church in a pine box! The discussion turned into a full-blown argument. Obviously “tact” was not a spiritual gift that either of these ladies had! I thanked them for inviting me and left before the cake started flying across the room. I had to remind myself…people are just people. Their bad behavior is not how Christ wants them to act but Christ can work through that lack of love. When you have been wronged by someone in a church setting don’t use that story to tell others how bad “churches” are. Churches are people, remember? People can be bad. People can be good. They can have bad days just like good days. If you witness bad behavior in a church setting, be Jesus to that person. Forgive. Don’t hold grudges. Drop the stone. And yes, sometimes you must drop the stone and walk away.
This is a very mild example of how churches excommunicate people. People have been seriously mentally hurt by people claiming to be the church and claiming to love them like Jesus. If you are one of these hurt people. I’m sorry. Whoever hurt you was NOT being Jesus. My view of the church is a room full of people from the island of Misfit Toys just trying to find a home where love covers all sins and Jesus is the focus of that Love. I know that’s idealistic and simple, but judgment and condemnation is not what Jesus preached. I don’t know what your background or lifestyle is. It really doesn’t matter to me frankly. I know at your core, inside that deepest part of you; there is a need to be unconditionally loved; not judged, not preached at….just loved.
Living To Hear Six means that the core of Jesus is Love. No stones. No petty arguments that won’t matter 30 years from now. No preachy, condemning judgments. No attitude. Just love. Show someone the love of Jesus. Listen to them. Take time for them. Show them how the church can be. Be Jesus.
