The Poor

Two people walk into a church.

 This isn't the beginning of a bad joke I promise!!

Anyway, where were we? Oh right. Two people walk into a church. The first is prominent in the community and the other is a pan handler on the street. Which one do you greet first?

Honest answer folks. I'm not fishing for some spiritual answer. I want you to answer the question truthfully. Honest answer for me? The famous guy. That's the cold, hard truth. I'm not the only one either. The early Church too struggled with favoritism.

"For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, 'You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor'-well, doesn't this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?"

James 2:2-4

James warns against giving special attention to rich or famous people just because they're rich. In modern times we call it "sucking up". Why would you be nicer to the famous person rather than the homeless guy? 

First of all, it's called human nature. As people, we are drawn to power and fame. Because they are well of in society, we want to be near them and share in their good fortune. Maybe if that rich person starts going to your church, they will give lots of money. Or maybe you could have their stamp of approval so that more people will start coming to your church. 

Secondly, our lack of compassion for the homeless guy is our culture talking.

When you see a guy on a street corner begging for money, what do you think? Do you lock your car doors and try not to make eye contact? I know I do. We look at that person and think, "Get a job! Stop asking me for money. I'm not going to give you a dime of my hard-earned money! You'll just spend it on booze and drugs!" We shake our heads at the people that hand them money. "Stupid people!", we scoff. Don't they know it won't be helping society to keep giving them hand-outs? 

Why do we think that? Because the Bible says so? Or is it because our culture says so? 

If you said culture, you are right. These people who stand at the street corner are useless to the greater good of advancement. They suck on all our resources but don't give back. They don't work, but they still live off of the government programs. They are a drag, a bother and they aren't worth keeping alive. They are no longer people. They're a number and a statistic. No one notices when they're gone. 

But that's not how we should treat them as Christians. "Love you neighbor as yourself." Remember that? That includes the homeless panhandler. Each person is precious and worthwhile to God. Jesus didn't die for the rich alone, He also died for the poor. Just because hey're messed up, doesn't mean they aren't people. In fact, it's the very fact that they're messed up that we need to love on them and show them compassion. Have you ever wondered why they are the way they are? What drove them to the streets? Maybe they came from an abusive home, or maybe they're parents never gave them the love that they needed. Maybe drugs were the only way out of their depressing life. 

But, you may say, it's still not wise to give them your money. It's not like they're going to use it for things they need! We can't dictate what people should and shouldn't do with their money. After all, we buy stuff we don't need all the time with our money. Does you boss ever try to tell you how to spend the money he paid you? It's not his to control so why would he try to? besides, it's not your money to use for your pleasure. It's God's. He provided the job that pays you. Everything you have is only "yours" because of Him.We are only the stewards of it. So why shouldn't you bless somebody else with it. You have no problem giving it to a friend in need so why should you be stingy to a homeless guy in need? I'm not saying you have to give money. Maybe a sandwich or something. But passing him by and locking your car doors isn't right. 

Sure, we have outreach ministries to the homeless...I'm not discounting that fact. The problem is when they decide to come into church. Do we make them feel welcomes and loved? Or do we just let them slink into the back and ignore them? Maybe it's not intentional. Maybe we're just too into our own friend group to extend a hand of welcome. but the fact is that it happens. 

How are we able to preach the love of God, if we can't love them? How are they able to see the love of God if we don't show them? What does it matter that they are beggars...they're headed to hell as you were once upon a time.

Shake us up, Lord! 

The Me Church

Over the next few posts, I want to take a look at how our culture affects our Christianity. As Christians, we are called to live counter culturally-being in the world but not of the world.  But as Americans, we are being bombarded every day with our culture's philosophies and values-all of which are not in the least God-like. As westerners too, we are at a disadvantage to our culture because the Church was started in a culture far different from our own. So let's take some time to think about how we have bit into our culture.

Jack and Jill are new in town. They are Christians so of course the first thing that they must do is find a church to go to. Where will they go? Jack and Jill cannot decide. Every Sunday over the next few weeks, they happily go from one church to the next. At the end of each service they stop and reflect: Did I like the music? Did I agree with the teaching? Were the people friendly to me? Di I have things on common with them to better connect? Are the programs I can get plugged into? If they answered "yes" to most of them that is the right church for them. But if the answered "no", that is not the right church for them.

Consumerism. It's a big part of our culture. It is all about me: What's best for me, what I like, how it made me feel. Me. It's at the heart of consumerism-literally.

Now this attitude has it's place. It's ok to be a consumer when you go out to eat or shop or when you buy a new appliance. After all, your the one that has to live with it. Of course, if you're being a total you-know-what to the waitress at a restaurant, that's not cool. But that's beside the point. Consumerism however, has no place in the Church. If you're walking in with the mindset of a consumer, you might as well stay at home. After all, it's not your church. Church isn't about what I can get out of it. It's about glorifying God and encouraging one another.

Christ is the Head. It is His Church, not mine or yours. It's not your pastor's church or your denomination's church. It's Jesus Christ's. We are the Church, the Bride. He is the Groom. A bride cannot be her own bride, she is her husband's bride. He is the Builder and we the blocks (Hebrews 3:3-4). Our job is only to bring Him glory not fit in with each other.

You know something though? If we were to dedicate ourselves to not worrying about all the consumer stuff, He would make us fit. Just like a builder makes a house fit together, Jesus can make us fit together in perfect unity. Look at the early Church. 3,000+ people from all over the world. They had different cultures, interests, likes, and dislikes. But what does Acts say?

 "A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity-all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."

They all came together, sharing with each other  worshiping together, eating their meals together-all with an attitude of joy! What was the result of this? GOD added daily to their numbers. Because they set themselves apart in their actions and love, they gave God the glory and more people were saved. It was a witness to their culture of the love of God. 

Our focus has turned from God to us in our churches. While we go to Church worship God,  we go to our church because we like it there. Because we make our lives about us, not God. We have bitten into the American way of living: Your life, liberty and the pursuit or your happiness. Hook, line and sinker.

I was talking to my older sister yesterday. She has just moved to a new city working as a baker of a restaurant there. He hours are crazy early so she doesn't have a lot of time to figure out going to church, so she just goes to the one that's most convenient for her. She said that it's kind of a hipster church (she's not a hipster) and most of the people there are not the kind of people she hangs out with. But she says that she needs to go to church so none of that really matters. "After all," she told me," It's not about where I fit in. I just need to go to Church so I do." 

If you're searching for the right church,I encourage you to stop. Go where you feel God wants you. Maybe it's to the church just down the road, or the one across town. Wherever it is, though do it because God wants you there, not because you get warm fuzzies. 

Consumerism can lead to judgmentalism, and we all know what Jesus has to say about judging others: DON'T. 

Shake us up Lord!