As my son and family were leaving the baggage area at Logan airport they were blocked at the door by a man on his cell phone. Apparently he wasn’t coordinated enough to walk and talk at the same time. Neither did he seem to be aware that others needed to get by. Meanwhile others waiting in cars were being urged along by some very intimating state patrolmen.
Unfortunately sometimes we have people blocking the door to our churches. I have seen well-meaning but poorly acting older people chase our teens away. They are made to feel unwelcome because of their dress or jewelry or makeup. Sometimes they are actually verbally assaulted that they are not representative of Christ by looking the way they look. But really now, when one stops to think about it, what real harm occurs to anyone because someone else is experimenting and has purple hair? They will grow up and not look like that for the rest of their lives. Well, perhaps I should take that back. I have seen older ladies with purplish hair.
Our churches should be places where anyone is welcome. If a kid shows up with an arrow through his head and enough fake gold chains around his neck that he looks like Mr. T., who does that harm? Better that they are with us in church than home watching television or playing video games. Sometimes we excuse our behavior by saying we are holding up the standards. What standard? What about the standard of unconditional love. What about the real sins of us older people? I mean the vile ones we carry inside – the ones Jesus cares about.
Written by Roger Bothwell on November 19, 2011
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94547
Rogerbothwell.org