That's a line from one of my favorite 80's movies, Top Gun. After that movie came out everyone wanted to join the Navy, I didn't, what I wondered was why after they all took a shower with towels wrapped around their waists were they still wet?
But that is not the purpose of this bloggable. It is just something that I can't help but think of when I think about who we are, and more directly, who we are in the church. No matter what size church you go to whether it be big or small, there are a number of people you know intimately at that church if you have been going for any extended period of time. The question I always ask everyone when I see them within my own church is, 'How are you?'. Let me tell you, I am not sure about your church, but in mine, everyone all the time is perfectly fine, and everything is going their way, you couldn't find a healthier happier group. Which of course, is a steaming load of crap. I catch myself caught up in the same old lie, from time to time. What bothers me about that, is we are doing that in church, as if we are looking up to the Lord God Himself and trying to convince Him that we are ok, as if he doesn't know the truth. What is more spell bounding to me is the fact that we put on that church face, you know that face. Its the face where we are grinning from ear to ear with squinty eyes, head slightly atilt telling everyone how greeeeeeaaaaaaaattt we are and how good it is to see them. When the reality is, we are screaming inside of ourselves, we are broken and abused, in essence, we walk in there hurting but desperately trying to hide the limp. Why do we do this? Isn't our church the place we go for spiritual and mental healing, why do we deny ourselves a rekindling of our spirit when we always assure each other that is what God wants us to have. Why do we think of healing in terms of someone else. I told a guy today at church, that there were well over half of the church in a state of brokenness and disrepair, as if we were car windows that were still intact, but completely shattered. The proof that I had was that I tend to be the hugger guy, sorry, that's who I am, and in my efforts to try to hug everyone I came in contact with, I noticed that my ribs started to hurt. I was being embraced so hard that it was hurting my sides, yet everyone I asked, told me they were fine and doing well, and I would look at them very tenderly and tell them I love it when I am lied to, why not just kick me in the crotch and call me ugly? Whom are we trying to convince of our perfection? There is nowhere in the world you can go, the world that God created, that you can hide your sin or your flaws away from Him, so why do we? Maybe we should let go of some of that foolish pride and ego, and let go of ourselves. Maybe the next time you walk through the doors of your church and someone asks you how you are doing, you will be honest, for once, and tell them you need prayer, or an ear to listen, or maybe you just want to go somewhere and cry your eyes out. I am willing to bet that there are some people you will meet at some of the church's that you go, who will have no idea what to do with your honesty. For that, we should be ashamed. Ashamed that we can walk through the doors of a church and be willing to tell a lie, and it become so comfortable, that we have no idea what to do with the truth. Lets work on that together, what do you say? Ask me how I am doing, and challenge me to tell you, give someone your heart's truth and see what they do, pray with someone you don't even know that well, and see how your life can change. Be yourself, for once in your life, and I will try to do the same.
"I promise to pray for you every day, ask your forgiveness, grant you the same, and be your friend always." The Grace Card
But that is not the purpose of this bloggable. It is just something that I can't help but think of when I think about who we are, and more directly, who we are in the church. No matter what size church you go to whether it be big or small, there are a number of people you know intimately at that church if you have been going for any extended period of time. The question I always ask everyone when I see them within my own church is, 'How are you?'. Let me tell you, I am not sure about your church, but in mine, everyone all the time is perfectly fine, and everything is going their way, you couldn't find a healthier happier group. Which of course, is a steaming load of crap. I catch myself caught up in the same old lie, from time to time. What bothers me about that, is we are doing that in church, as if we are looking up to the Lord God Himself and trying to convince Him that we are ok, as if he doesn't know the truth. What is more spell bounding to me is the fact that we put on that church face, you know that face. Its the face where we are grinning from ear to ear with squinty eyes, head slightly atilt telling everyone how greeeeeeaaaaaaaattt we are and how good it is to see them. When the reality is, we are screaming inside of ourselves, we are broken and abused, in essence, we walk in there hurting but desperately trying to hide the limp. Why do we do this? Isn't our church the place we go for spiritual and mental healing, why do we deny ourselves a rekindling of our spirit when we always assure each other that is what God wants us to have. Why do we think of healing in terms of someone else. I told a guy today at church, that there were well over half of the church in a state of brokenness and disrepair, as if we were car windows that were still intact, but completely shattered. The proof that I had was that I tend to be the hugger guy, sorry, that's who I am, and in my efforts to try to hug everyone I came in contact with, I noticed that my ribs started to hurt. I was being embraced so hard that it was hurting my sides, yet everyone I asked, told me they were fine and doing well, and I would look at them very tenderly and tell them I love it when I am lied to, why not just kick me in the crotch and call me ugly? Whom are we trying to convince of our perfection? There is nowhere in the world you can go, the world that God created, that you can hide your sin or your flaws away from Him, so why do we? Maybe we should let go of some of that foolish pride and ego, and let go of ourselves. Maybe the next time you walk through the doors of your church and someone asks you how you are doing, you will be honest, for once, and tell them you need prayer, or an ear to listen, or maybe you just want to go somewhere and cry your eyes out. I am willing to bet that there are some people you will meet at some of the church's that you go, who will have no idea what to do with your honesty. For that, we should be ashamed. Ashamed that we can walk through the doors of a church and be willing to tell a lie, and it become so comfortable, that we have no idea what to do with the truth. Lets work on that together, what do you say? Ask me how I am doing, and challenge me to tell you, give someone your heart's truth and see what they do, pray with someone you don't even know that well, and see how your life can change. Be yourself, for once in your life, and I will try to do the same.
"I promise to pray for you every day, ask your forgiveness, grant you the same, and be your friend always." The Grace Card
AMEN!! This is one of my biggest gripes...not only in church but everyday life. You go through the grocery line, and what does the cashier say? "How are you today?" You are expected to say, "fine". I refuse to say it unless it's true. That's just how I am. Don't ask me how I am unless you want a real answer.
ReplyDeleteI also think some people are very private... and do not want their story passed around. Maybe there needs to be more trustworthy people in this world.