A Letter To The Church

I am sitting here this morning thinking about something I have witnessed before but was unfortunate enough to see again yesterday, just two days after Christmas.

Before I get into that, though, I want to start by sharing that I am fully aware of our humanity and flesh and how at any given moment we can be caught up in ourselves and allow frustrations, heartache, sickness, emotions, and so on to get the better of us and we act out of those places instead of from our position as children of The King. We get crabby and have bad days! It happens! I mean, I get that we are not immune. We are IN the world! But what I need us, you and me and ALL of us to remember is that we are not OF the world. In other words, when those bad days happen we need to take the time to think extra hard before we speak or act. We need to fill our heads and hearts with those verses we've committed to memory that remind us who we are and our purpose in this world to shine.

So here we are, to my point.

Yesterday, Thursday, December 27. Two days after the day we celebrated our Savior's entrance into the world I witnessed something that literally made me sick to my stomach and grieved deep within my spirit.

I had to run into the bane of all of our existences, Walmart. I just needed to grab a birthday card and so I went in, found one and got in line to pay. I had 4 other items in my hands (gift bags that were marked down 50%-a girl's gotta save a buck). As I got into an express line, you know the ones for 20 items or less, I found I was behind an older couple with a cart FULL of their own Christmas clearance items. When I say full I mean, F U L L. They started putting items on the counter and the cashier, a young lady, simply asked, "How many items do you have?" Her question was simple, not aggressive or agitated or anything other than a question. The "gentleman" just stared at her and continued putting things on the counter when the woman snipped back, "Ma'am, I buying this for MY CHURCH." At that moment I wanted to hide or yank her by her ear. I watched to see how the employee would respond and while her eyes got big, she only said, "It's just that this is an express lane and if you have more than 20 items you should go to one of the other lanes." Again, no attitude or snark, just stating a fact. The woman repeated, as she continued putting things on the counter, "I am buying this for my church. Once I pay for the church stuff I'll go to a different lane." with all the attitude she could muster, I presume. The employee just sort of looked my way and started ringing the woman out. Not another word uttered, just did her job. At this point I was so embarrassed by the "Christian" woman's attitude so when she did what came next I am sure my jaw dropped. She shoved her cart to the side and started swiping things back into her cart, dropping some on the floor and said, "You know what!?! I don't NEED your attitude. I am just buying things for my church and you don't have to treat me like this."

WHAT!?!?!

The young lady looked as shocked as I felt and told the woman she wasn't giving her attitude but the lady just kept on and continued ranting as she walked away. She looked at me as if I would understand her ugliness and horrible treatment of the employee but I didn't...I don't.

When I approached the counter the young lady apologized to me. I quickly told her she had nothing to apologize for and that I was sorry for the way she was treated. She was kind and told me she wasn't going to let that lady steal her smile. That made me smile but as I stood there I couldn't help it and I said, "You know, I can't do this. She said she was buying that tuff for her church as if that gave her a pass to break the rules, be rude and inconsiderate to everyone in line and to you. I am a pastor and I have no idea what your faith, if you have faith, is but I am apologizing for all of us because we're not all like that and I am angry by the way she acted and talked to you." At this the young lady laughed and said, "Right!? Like all I could think was, "what church is that cause I want NOTHING to do with it."

And that, my friends, says it all.

Yeah, we're humans and we have bad days but in 2 minutes that woman blew her witness and who knows what else for those around. We cannot afford to lose it like that. Not even for 2 minutes. And if you do, by all means and for the love of the Kingdom I implore you, please do not use the church, God, or your faith to excuse yourself. Own it and be humble enough to apologize just as quickly as you lost it.

Here's something else James wrote in the first chapter of his letter (emphasis added),

"19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[g] does not produce the righteousness[h] God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."

We are in a spiritual battle every single day and the war that is being waged is only won through the authority of Christ that has been given to us and we can't misuse it or flaunt it or fail to walk in it at any time. Too many souls are at stake.

Next time you are having a bad day, let's face it we all will experience this, pray, think before you speak and be cautious with your words and attitude. Next time you are out and about and see someone act like this, be bigger and bolder and gracious enough to speak kind words to those who were on the receiving end.

We're all in this together and we have a responsibility to be the iron that sharpens iron.