What kind of church would my church be if all its members were just like me?
Stop and think about it. What would your congregation be like if everyone were just like you? What would be done better? What would go undone? What would the worship be like? How about the evangelism? Would the poor be helped or would needs go unmet?
I have to admit that asking myself these questions makes me look at a lot of things in me. I see so many things that I could be and should be, but I’m not. It’s tempting for me to focus on your shortcomings and your failures, but in the end, it’s mine that I need to worry about.
So here are a few things that I plan to try and do to make our church a better place
- Focus first on visitors and newcomers. There will be time later to talk to friends, to work out church business, and to do whatever I need to with our members. First I’ll try and speak to those who are new or those who are in need.
- Worship and let worship. I will worship God to the best of my ability without worrying about what you are doing or about what you think about what I’m doing.
- Focus on what matters. One of my glaring faults is an ability to be bothered by unimportant things. (OK, I can be a control freak.) So I’m going to try and recognize that my way is not the only way. I won’t “sweat the petty things.” I’ll try and focus on eternal things, not just the things I can see around me.
- Look for the good of the body, not my individual “rights.” Society says that we have certain basic rights that we need to stand up for. Jesus says that I need to spend my time protecting the rights and interests of others.
So how about you? What do you need to change? I hope that you’ll be brave enough to face up to whatever it is and do what it takes to improve in that area.
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)