I Heart the Church, part II
I have a confession. I love the Church!
So many people are talking about her with so much disdain. And it makes my heart break. She may be broken, but she is beautiful! And I love her!
I think the biggest problem is that we see her through our individualistic worldview. We see one person or a few people who do not reflect Christ and we turn and criticize the Body of Christ. Is that how we also treat ourselves?
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
When you look in the mirror, do you see all of your flaws? Do you have anxiety over your weight? Your hair? Your skin color? Do you tell yourself that you are fat, skinny, ugly, bald, hairy, or flabby?
What about those who love you? Do they notice those things? I think they see your beauty. They see your generosity. Your tenderness. Your kindness. They see your strength. Your persistence. Your fierce love. They see who you are to the depths of your spirit.
This is what I see when I look at the Church. I see her generosity. I see her tenderness. I see her kindness and her fierce love. I see her persistence in the midst of brutal rejection. I see her determination to love anyway.
I see when she gives up grocery money to help someone in need. I see her love the children that no one else will love. I see her welcome the one who has used up all their “free passes” with their biological family. I see her bind the wounds of those broken by a cold, bitter world.
I see her bleed and weep for those who have been cast aside. I have even seen her weep for me!
The Church is broken, but She is beautiful! She radiates the love of God to a broken world. She has been the tangible expression of the hand of God in my life. And in the lives of so many I know.
If you have been hurt by the Church, I hope you will take a chance on her once again. I hope you will see past the gray hair, the wrinkles, warts, and the broken places. I hope you will see into the depths of her soul. I hope you will see Christ shining through. I hope you will stick around long enough to experience her fierce love that changes everything it touches.
Come. See the beauty of the Bride of Christ. She is the only true witness to the glory of God.
