I often hear how people say I got hurt in church
and I won't go back there again. They found church
to be a court of law and not a hospital for broken
and wounded people. They often spent more
time seeking the approval of people than God.
Or counting on people, and we know that
all people fail us from time to time, just as we fail others.
We are ALL still under construction.
I am reminded of how angry Jesus got with the
way people judge each other. I know that while He
walked the earth, he walked around with publicans,
sinners, prostitutes, he got around the demon
possessed. Jesus came to earth and died for
every one's sins. He had a heart of compassion
He looked beyond people's flaws and outward
appearance, and looked on the heart.
He knew we were all but dust. We needed
a Savior... for none are without sin.
There is none perfect... no NOT ONE.
He said it is not the well that need a physician but
the sick, the infirm, the lost. How can we reach them
if we avoid them? What a revolutionary message he
brought to a world so used to legality in their church
and not love.
He taught a new covenant. To love one another.
We know people will come to church, who will
not be where they should be spiritually. If we cast
them out.. who will tell them about Christ?
If you are legalistic, and chase people away from
God, by your very judgmental, religious snobbery
do not expect your church to grow. It will become
stagnant and die.
The following story is a classic example I wrote
of a church going wrong.
Please take time to Read the Purple thing below.
I know you will enjoy it.
love
millie
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The Purple Thing.
Copyright Millie Plastaras 3/7/2004
May not be electronically, nor physically reprinted
without authors permission.
Once upon a time there was a village. In this small
village there were 2 churches. They were a bit
different in what they believed, and often had a problem
with each church thinking they were more important
and better informed than the other church.
One day there came to town a person, who felt
herself to be very religious. She had a particular
way of looking at things, of dressing, of doing her work,
and felt that everyone should pretty much feel the same.
This person's name was Dora. Dora had long held
the opinion that she had been raised the "right" way,
and no one else, quite had the edge on wisdom of
life that she did.
Dora visited both churches, and then chose the one
that fit better in with her line of thinking. She got very
involved right away, and joined every women's group,
and set about to "reform" anyone who was a bit
different from her, feeling the need to inspire people
to become lined up with her thinking.
Dora loved purple. She thought it was a "divine" color.
It was included in every dress she owned. Her dresses
were long sleeved, high collared, and were always
strewn with bits of purple coloring.
As Dora was sitting at the ladies missionary meeting
one day, she met a young girl, whom she wanted
to take under her wing and mentor. She told Wendy,
that there was just certain right and proper ways to do
things. Dora casually mentioned, I notice you do not
wear any purple clothing. I am utterly shocked. This is
a righteous' color. Even Jesus wore this color. Don't you
want to please Him? Wendy, being young, naive and
impressionable, felt Dora was a wise woman and
must know what she was talking about. After all wasn't
Dora self assured? Didn't Dora attend church every time
the doors opened? Didn't Dora witness to others, and fix
meals for others? Dora was very religious. So Wendy
decided to start wearing purple.
Soon, Wendy's friends at that little church notice what
was happening and asked Wendy why she always
had purple in her clothing. Wendy, who had suddenly
become "the" informed one, said, why anyone knows
you can only be righteous when you wear purple clothes.
Soon everyone that went to that church, felt the pressure,
and if they didn't wear purple in their clothing.. other people
just "knew" they weren't righteous. So the "Purple Thing"
took over this little village, where before people had
pretty much been friendly with each other.
Suddenly, there was a new standard. If you weren't
purple, you weren't anything. You just didn't fit in,
and you were looked down upon.
Then came a stranger to town one day, and He sat in
this church a few weeks, and noticed the "purple trend,"
and overheard the discussions about the reasoning
behind it. He watched the demeanor of those with
the "purple" righteousness. How they were so
haughty with anyone that didn't wear the purple.
And how the whole church had changed because
of one woman's misinformed, misguided belief
that she knew better than anyone else.
This man was soon to be the new preacher voted in
by the district board. And He had come to town,
just to check things out. He went home and prayed
fervently about the scenes he had witnessed at this
small church. And it became a great burden to His heart.
Because He, and only He, recognized that people had
forgotten what they were going to church for - Jesus.
To worship Jesus, and to love one another.
You see, this man knew that it wasn't about being purple,
or pink or blue or white, it was about God's great love
for one another, and how the more we love God,
the more that Great Love should dwell within us.
He knew that only through salvation by the atoning
blood of Jesus Christ, could we be cleansed from our sins.
And that by the mercies of God.
The pastor took the position in that church
and became a powerful speaker and prayer warrior.
And soon people felt the shame come over their
consciousness and felt the draw of the Holy Spirit
to return to the simplicity of the gospel, and to live
a life called out unto holiness, and surrendered to Christ.
No longer did purple reign. Jesus did.
As it should be. And the broken in spirit, and the lost,
the lonely and the needy found solace there. As they
all gathered and heard the word of God and grew in Christ daily.
We become a product of our input.
Whatever we sow in our spirit, is what we speak to
those around us. We are to be a light to the world.
This true light can only come from absolute surrender to Jesus Christ.
remember
Only one life,
will soon be past
Only what is done
For Christ will last
James said:
If there should come into your assembly a man with gold
rings and fine apparel, and there should also come in
a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to
the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him,
" You sit here in a good place." and say to the poor man
"You stand there" or "sit here at my footstool, have you
not shown partiality among yourselves and become
judges with evil thoughts?
Listen my brethren, Has God not chosen the poor of
this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
which He promised to them who love Him?
But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich
oppress you and drag you into the courts?
If you really fulfill the royal law according the scripture,
You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well.
But if you show PARTIALITY, you commit sin,
and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
James 2:1-9
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