Have you ever had one of "those" people come to your church? And if you have, how did you feel and how did you respond to "them" when they showed up at your church door? I will explain what I mean to you when I state "one of those people."
You know when you visit your church and sit on them plush comfortable cushioned pews with TV cameras and lights shining, and a high tech sound system playing contemporary Christian music until the service begins. And once the service begins, after the church members have had a chance to get their Starbucks or other brand coffee at their church cafe (and I have nothing against Starbucks coffee at all); and have entered the massive and lavishly decorated sanctuary to the music of a professional sounding band, (who might even have their CD's released)...one of "them" noticeably walks into the sanctuary. And the people notice. Some look as though they are not trying to stare from their seats on the left and right side of the auditorium. Some talk ever so quietly to their neighbor sitting next to them in the front of the church and the heads turn around to look and see if it is true, that "one of them" has somehow managed to enter their inner sanctum of worship. And so there is a stirring of murmering and whispering going on throughout the church because one of us has actually entered your clean and desanitized church to worship God with them. Who are "they" you ask? They are the:
- Noticably poor with well worn and tattered clothing with their unkempt hair and unshaven face (because they could not afford the luxury of fine clothes and the such). And their children are not all dressed up like yours but are poorly dressed in second hand clothes because they can not afford nice ones like your church members can.
- Mentally Ill or people who suffer traumatic brain injuries - You can tell them by the dazed look in their eyes from the medications they have to take so they do not have seizures as well as by their appearance because they will not be dressed quite as finely as the members of your church are.
- The young girls and guys such as the Emo's or other young people with their piercings and tattoos (and for the guys with their pants hanging down below their butts) or the young men with their metrosexual style of dress and appearance where you have to strain your neck and eyes to look and see but you can not honestly tell whether they are a male or female without an up close and personal contact with them. (And you would never think of doing something like that).
- Drug users or alcoholics - with their strung out wild eyed looks from the drugs or possibly the smell of alcohol on their breath or body.
They are the people who might stand outside the door of your church as you enter your sanctuary who are hungry and cold and ask for your help as you grab your families with your wives and their expensive fashion purses, your Black fine quality leather Bibles and your children and hurry past them, not looking at them (as if to look at them and to see them would mean that you have to realize that they are really there). You know, if you ignore them or pretend they don't exist, they might just go away.
But when they do not go away and actually come into your church and sit down to worship God with you, why that is almost more than you can bear. But by your ignoring "them" they do not necessarily go away. Yes, some people do but others don't as they are emboldened to beg for money for food or other help. Yet, you are there to "worship God" and don't have time for such people or things as helping them. The nerve of them to interrupt your worship of God with their neediness, their dirtiness and brokenness! Besides, if you help "them" they might just use you and go buy alcohol or more drugs with the money you give them and so self righteously you comfort yourself with the fact that you don't give because of that fact - but if there was some way you could help, you would. Oh yes, you gave $5.00 and one of your old shirts that you no longer wear to the mission this past week so you did do your part. (You think to yourself, "Whew, I was worried there for a minute because I thought I had not done something to help "them" this week).
Remember the words of Christ, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30-31). Would you want to sleep outside in the chilling cold weather of winter or warm weather when it is summer or would you want to be hungry and thirsty? Or would you want your children to be shabbily dressed and hungry or thirsty? If you do not have love, how can you say you are a disciple of Christ because it is by your love that "they" will know you are his disciples. (John 13:35). But you really don't want them to become one of Christ's followers now do you? That would mean they would come to your church with all of their dirtiness, their odor, their bad behavior or their neediness and that would never do. Well maybe if they would go to another church or something but they look and smell so bad. And sometimes they even act badly. "Love your neighbor as YOURSELF." (Mark 12:30-31),
Think about that phrase, "Love your neighbor as yourself" the next time you walk past one of "them" trying to ignore "them"...whether it is on the street or standing in front of your church. Think of how dirty and wretched your sin was to a holy and just God and despite all of your "filthiness," he had mercy on you and saved you and cleansed you with his blood and word and made you clean. Just like he did for me...a wretched and vile man I was. A worm of a man to be sure. I was certainly not worthy of such a glorious salvation as I have received. And every day I am amazed by God's lavish grace and abundant and steadfast love.
So although maybe we didn't look or act like one of "them;" we were certainly no better than them. Spiritually we were in the same place they are now- condemned to the judgment and wrath of God unless someome shares with them the good news of the gospel and they hear, believe and become "born again" to inherit eternal life.
So, again I say unto you, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30-31).
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