Which Is Worse?

I am sure you have been distracted. Just before you run into the car in front of you, you recognize that something distracted you. Perhaps you are one of those persons who miss lines in a movie because you are thinking about something else. Ever been in one of those situations where you can’t answer the question you were just asked by your friend because you were thinking about something else while he spoke?

Distractions are a common and major malady in life. Sometimes kids struggle in school because of their distractions. College can be quite difficult when one is thinking more about the friend back home, or the lack of sufficient money, or the desire to be somewhere else – anywhere else. As adults we can, and are, distracted by an endless variety of circumstances and situations – and often, not so good things are a result.

Can you imagine a Church that, however unintentionally, distracts its congregants from the purpose of gathering? Of course, sometimes Churches don’t know, or have forgotten (or are distracted), why they gather in the first place.

So. . .let me remind you. The Church gathers to minister to one another (the purpose of Spiritual gifts), to apprehend and appropriate the revealed Word of God (most call that Bible Study), and to Worship (you’ll have to read a lot of books to get an answer about that). They are not all the same, and they are not equally adept at providing distractions.

Mostly we bring our own – but sometimes the Church itself provides plenty. Shame on us! (I’d write more, but my phone is ringing. . .)