Thursday Thoughts: Are rules more important than people?

I don't rant often, but I don't know how else to say this...

Prepare for rambling word vomit...

I know we have to have rules in church.

I realize that we don't need every 2 yr old in the congregation toddling through the sanctuary with an open cup of grape Kool-Aid...nor do we need the entire preschool department eating cookies in the sanctuary. And yeah, I get that kids don't need to run in church... not because it's "God's house," but because we have Senior adults who could be knocked over. I'd personally rather not see folks staring at their cell phones during church, but I have no idea whether they are using their Bible app, taking notes, or checking Facebook... and honestly, it's really none of my business. And can I just say right here... people (yes, that includes teenagers) have to be REALLY disruptive for me to notice...unless they are what I am paying attention to. Honestly, the more focused I am on worshiping God, hearing a Word for God and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in me, the less I notice the people around me and what they are doing.

Again, I know that we have to have rules in church....but at some point some people got the impression that it is their duty to enforce the "rules" with little compassion for the people involved.

This goes beyond the physical walls of the church building...

So you don't like tattoos. Cool. Then don't get any...but don't condemn someone who does. Someone else's tattoos do you no harm and many times a person's tattoos have meaning and are very personal to them. Asking about the stories behind a person's ink can open up a conversation from which you can learn much about a person's heart and history. Some people grieve the loss of a loved one, acknowledge hurt, commemorate overcoming hardships, and record life events on their skin.   I have 2 myself. One is my wedding band. The other is my "survivor tattoo."  If I chose to have an entire back piece or both arms sleeved, my tattoos would still have no effect on your standing with God (or mine for that matter...but that is a post for another day).

You don't like piercings? Then by all means don't go get your nose and eyebrows pierced... but someone else having their entire face pierced has no effect on your relationship with Christ whatsoever. (or theirs.. again, a post for another day)

Someone dresses provocatively, peppers their speech with profane expletives,  drinks, uses drugs, is promiscuous, or even denounces Christ? Again... this has no bearing on your relationship with Christ...

but your reaction to any of these CAN reveal a lot about your understanding of Christ and what it means to follow Him. 

It breaks my heart that we are so quick to judge and condemn.


Well intended people have crushed the spirits of people I've been pouring into... people that I am praying will accept the forgiveness and grace of Jesus... over something as trivial as their choice of hairstyle. The things that they are policing don't even matter. I mean really...

Rules are important, but they are not more important than souls. I don't think that anyone would actually say "I value this pew more than I value you, and if I have to choose, I would rather you leave the church than sit here curled up with your feet in the pew," nor would anyone actually verbalize the words "You cannot get to heaven with tattoos." 

We all know better than to SAY these things... 

but the way we treat people DOES say this, whether we want it to or not. 

If we are going to judge someone, let's look beyond their clothes, skin, accessories and hairstyle. None of those things define a Christian anyway... We judge people who don't conform to our idea of what a Christian "looks like," but the things we are judging don't even define a Christian. 

I wish we would all spend time with people who look different than we do in order to see beyond what they look like to discover who they are. 

Perhaps it is easier to examine and judge the appearance of others rather than examine our own hearts.

I wish we would be more concerned with cultivating, growing and bearing fruit in ourselves... That Fruit being:

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Gentleness

Faithfulness 

Self-Control

And growing LOVE in the true Biblical sense... I've heard that a good way to determine how well I am loving is to substitute my name for "Love" and "it" in 1 Corinthians 13. Each time I do, I realize how very unloving I am. Perhaps you would like to try... Just substitute your name for "love" and "it" below...

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13(NIV)

How'd ya do?
Yeah...I didn't do so great myself.

When I am tempted to judge, I remember that in Scripture, it was the Pharisees, who pointed out others' sins, flaws, and failures. The Pharisees shunned "sinners." The Pharisees set themselves above others. Jesus had much to say about them and their hearts...

"brood of vipers" comes to mind.

In contrast, Jesus embraced, touched, hugged, healed, restored. He did not condone sin, but He also did not shy away from it. Jesus looked on the heart and saw people for what they were, and still are...sinners in need of a Savior.

I sincerely wish we would do the same.

Just my thoughts

K