Wouldn't it be great if the church of Jesus Christ was made up of nothing but emotionally healthy, socially adept, personally winsome, and relationally desirable people? Honestly, I think I'd pastor a church like that for FREE! Well, probably not - I've grown accustomed to eating and paying the mortgage, so I probably couldn't swear off my salary altogether! But I'd sure feel guilty when I deposited the check.
In reality, though, that is almost never the case. God's people are redeemed, cleansed, bound for glory, infinitely loved, and still brutally dysfunctional. The sin that we are born in, that we wallow in for so much of our lives does not relinquish its hold easily. I got very upset tonight at the customer service people at a national service center. Did they do me wrong? Yes, I think so. But did my tantrum glorify Jesus Christ and advance my own sanctification? I think not. Here I am, the "holy man," the "Reverend," and the flesh is still so strong in me.
Let's face it, folks. We are not a country club for superior saints. We are a hospital sick sinners being treated by the Savior. We are in the process of healing, but we are far from finished yet.
As I read the story of David's flight from the unfair persecution of King Saul, I was struck by a description of the men who gathered around him in the wilderness. Look at 1 Samuel 22:2.
And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.That was quite a bunch David gathered around him, wasn't it? Men who were in distress - messed up, frazzled, stressed out. I'll bet they were all pleasant to be around, weren't they? Men who were in debt. Because not being able to pay your bills is always something that puts you in a good mood, right? Men who were "bitter in soul." Wow. That sounds like a great bunch of men to work with, doesn't it?
Can you imagine their business meetings?
A couple of weeks ago I made this observation about Jesus and his selection of the Twelve. He did not surround himself with the talented and desirable, but with outcasts, refuse and misfits - people no one else wanted. Jesus would have been laughed out of every leadership conference I've ever been a part of! And so would David. You simply cannot found your group on a bunch of misfits, malcontents and knuckleheads. But that is exactly what David did. Then he led these men in the name of the Lord.
Look around you on Sunday when you gather with the people of God. That will be one messed up bunch of folks. Even those who are not living in deep sin will have a lot of big problems. They will be suffering, struggling, and stressing out about life. They will be difficult, obnoxious, annoying and cloying. But they will also be the redeemed of the Lord, loved by Christ, washed in the Blood, destined for glory and part of your eternal family. Your job is to love them as they are. God saves messed up, sin-saturated, broken people. So that is the kind of people who inhabit the church.
Wouldn't it be great if only functional people were part of the Body of Christ. But wait a minute. Then there wouldn't be a place for you and me, would there?
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul - my messed up, stressed out, dysfunctional soul. I thank you that while I continue to be slowly conformed to the image of your Son, you continue to love and accept me as I am. Help me to love and accept your dysfunctional Body as you love me!
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