December 17, 2003
We had our weekly meeting last night at VBCC. We talked about promoting unity in the Body of Christ, and how we can go to different extremes; whether it's the side of being insular or the other side of allowing any and all notions to stand, even anti-Christ ones, without confronting them. Liz told about an old boyfriend of hers in college who thought she shouldn't hang out with people who weren't "in"--non-Christians. It brought to mind an object lesson a former pastor used once.

This pastor stood at the edge of the platform and had someone from the congregation come up and stand in front of him on the floor. He then gripped hands with the guy and said, "Which would be easier--for me to pull 'Joe' up, or for him to pull me down?" The point was about personal holiness and that Scripure about bad company corrupting good morals. I think he may even have used the phrase "up on a pedestal" to describe us as believers.

Upon discussing this last night, we came to the conclusion that this whole object lesson is invalid because it's based on a false premise: that we, as believers, are somehow "better" or "higher up" than those around us who don't know God. I suppose that is true in a way, in that those of us who know God have access to help in dealing with our problems, and a "guidebook", if you will, to getting through life successfully. But we are not "better" or "higher up" than anyone in and of ourselves--just better equipped. The object lesson might have been more to the point if the pastor and the congregation member had started out on the same level. After all, that's what Jesus did, isn't it? He came to Earth and lived among us, being a more-or-less ordinary carpenter for 90% of His life, then walking amongst those who needed His help, inviting those who would to journey with Him.

posted by #Debi at 3:35 PM | permalink | 0 comments

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