We talk and preach about the dangers of busyness… and for the most part we strive to allow ourselves time to invest in the pursuit of things outside the work life. Yet even in doing things within the church, we get caught up in the programs. I'm not saying that these are not good things to pursue… they are… but what is most important in building a church? Is it the building? Is it the programs? Is it Sundays? Is it the time I spend at seminary? I think we've made church that. We program our programs to attract people. We try to find ways to increase church attendance and we set goals for it. I feel sometimes like I'm working at the bank again. We teach this culture. Does it even matter? What about the people?
It's a common theme that's been coming up this week for me. The church is people. Everything we plan, all the buildings we build… we say it's for the people to attract the people. But isn't church more… maybe we don't need the buildings and programs to church. Isn't every day the church? Isn't every interaction with anyone the church?
I confess that I'm realizing the importance of people, and I hate to admit it takes the loss of someone to make you realize how busy our lives are and the things we do… the "we'll do lunch later…when your free"… the "we should hang out sometime". We really do mean to do it… but one night you close your eyes, and the next day the whole world is different. Maybe that person isn't there anymore. Maybe you aren't. We really don't know what happens tomorrow, we might be sure that someone lives a normal life, free of major risks… until the moment life turns itself upside down… in a heartbeat… because everything is uncertain. It makes you rethink how busy you are.
Jesus was busy… he had crowds following him. There's a story in the bible… it's about a little girl that's dying… Jesus is going to see her, and people recognize the busyness of him… one lady who's been just suffering for years doesn't even want to disturb Christ, she just wants to touch His cloak so the pain can stop… and then Jesus stops… He's rushed to save the life of little girl and He just stops. And He addresses the crowd, "Who just touched my robe?" and then He addressed the women for her faith. By the time He got to the little girls house, she was said to be dead. Jesus saying "trust me she isn't... she's just sleeping."….
I know this story is about faith but every time I read the gospels I hardly get the sense that Jesus was too busy for people. I see him attending wedding banquets, eating with people (didn't matter who… from Pharisees to those who weren't desired in society), Adulteress at wells, lepers… how busy are we for people? I think I need to change the way I'm looking at church… the programs are good, the buildings are blessings… but beyond them it's the people. Goodbye Nathan… I'm sorry we didn't get the chance to do lunch as we planned for in September. God bless and God speed bro.
"and everything I said I'd do,
like make the world brand new,
and take the time for you
just got lost and slept right through the dawn,
and the world spins madly on" (World Spins Madly - The Weepies)
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