Leaving the church?
"The world is not a lodging-house at Brighton , which we
are to leave because it is miserable. It is the fortress of our family,
with the flag flying on the turret, and the more miserable it is the
less we should leave it. The point is not that this world is too sad to
love or too glad not to love; the point is that when you do love a
thing, its gladness is a reason for loving it, and its sadness a reason
for loving it more. All optimistic thoughts about England and all
pessimistic thoughts about her are alike reasons for the English
patriot. Similarly, optimism and pessimism are alike arguments for the
cosmic patriot". G.K. Chesterton said that!
But that's just the problem, isn't it? We hear all the time of people
leaving this assembly or that because someone said something they
didn't like or that the deacon in charge embezzled some money or a
leader had an affair with someone in the congregation or that the church
is supporting a work that this person or that doesn't approve of. When
these people leave they often get our approval. We “understand” them,
don't you see! Why would they stay when such bad things have occurred?
Good people that they are, they must move on to some other church
(presumably until they discover something bad has happened there). Our
sadness, gladness, anger or pleasure are all reasons to stay to help and
nurture. The real truth behind such moving on without trying to help is
sinister.
Doesn't it just gut you when you hear people say, “I just love this church” and then sulk off when someone disappoints them?
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.