For instance, today I was at a bookstore. My only purpose for being there was to find the last book I needed for class. After a very helpful woman directed me to the little, blue, bound book I looking for I started journeying around the place. There is something with in this scenario that you need to be informed by, I hate reading. If it is not a kick butt mystery or so impacting I can't put it down...well...I put it down. Then said book, sadly, will stay there for the rest of its days, never to be picked up again. For I, the pathetic reader, would rather just watch a movie.
Heres where the irony comes in. I LOVE BOOKSTORES! I like the smell, the aisle, the coffee, the chairs, and the people in bookstores. I could spend hours in a bookstore merely to go around thinking "That looks interesting" or "WOW what a great cover", but never really wanting to take the time to read the books.
...sad, but this is my hypocritical book loving self
Today, after about a half hour of moseying around I had a revelation. After picking up my 5th book then telling myself "HELLO, PUT IT DOWN YOU'LL NEVER TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS". After listening, ever so wisely, I considered this in a church context. This, in and of itself comes with a previous story of the day...
This story deals with a man. He was standing on one of the little brick and cement fences surrounding one of our campus buildings. As I walked by I heard him yelling "YOU ARE ALL GOING TO HELL! REPENT! REPENT! YOU HAVE ALL SINNED". This slightly amazed me. I have not heard or seen anyone that does this since probably my DC, trip in 8th grade! I went in to grab my lunch and draw a bit. The man didn't leave my mind. After finally finishing my Italian sub, I rushed back outside to simply start a conversation with the man. All I wanted to do was ask him about what he believes to see his opinions. By the time I had arrived outside there was about 20 to 25 people surrounding him. Down front we're my Christian friends and so I rushed down to see and hear what was being said. I was slightly taken aback now, because the man had gone from a "fire and brimstone" sermon to telling us all we we're going to hell, because of our shorts or going to football games. Basically everything being said was ridiculous and had nothing to do with the Bible. My friends we're trying to ask him questions and he literally stopped talking to them. He sang songs about burning in hell. He yelled about burning in hell. And, he belligerently flung his Bible around to make a statement.
I stood there quiet. Listening to them ask how Jesus made wine and didn't go to hell. Or say they wanted to repent and asked him to show them the way. The man was so caught up in telling everyone they we're sinners he missed the entire point of the Gospel. I just watched, broken hearted thinking this is not MY Jesus. My Jesus is not the god you worship. The non-Christians we're annoyed. The Christians we're broken hearted, embarrassed, and angry. And above all else, I think God was sad about the entire scenario.
So this leads back to my bookstore comment above. It kinda made me think about church. How many people come to church and are just in there to "shop around" per-say? They come in and maybe enjoy watching the people interact or sing. Maybe they like just being with in fellowship of "nice people" as it were. AND THEN theres always the free coffee and doughnuts. But, how many people come into church and never buy the book? They never get it. They prefer to read the titles, look at the pictures, and read the back of the book when there is SOOOoooOOooooOO much more! Granted, I do believe that this is some what the church todays fault. When we start to structure ourselves around the "consumer culture" it lands us in a detrimental place, where people completely forget or miss the point. And, as if that we're not enough, there are so many people who truly think they bought the book. They have stood in that one aisle for so long they cant remember why they were there to begin with. Then a random lost soul who was really searching for their book comes across the person staring at the bookshelf. So the complacent, fake reader basically tells the lost store-goer what the story is about, regardless of never reading it. This of coarse then causes the snowball affect of people telling miss truths about the said book when none of them knew they had been mislead. These fine people will also then not truly find a reason for reading the book themselves.
That was my day and the awesomeness was it all went along w/ my devos. Currently I've been reading through Matthew and gleaning lots of good stuff.
eh hem......
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them....Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but ONLY those who do the will of my father who is in heaven. (then for the really scary part of coarse) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out daemons and in your name preform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you, away from me, you evildoers.' Matthew 7: 21-23.
BUT, ya...just kinda all worked together. And it leaves me sad and praying for that man. Here he is telling tons of people daily about the book he's never really read or understood. He obviously skimmed the cover and decided He knew enough. It left me wanting to challenge everyone=
we as Christians need to read the books in the bookstore. This way we actually know what we're talking about when people start looking and searching for their book. ANDdddDDdddDDdd lets not just let people go to church. Lets really bring them aside with us and make sure they KNOW what we do. AKA DISCIPLESHIP ;) This would help prevent the lies satan wants to put forward in the world.
thoughts from yours to mine
~Faith and Prayers~
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