Matthew 7:7, 11-12: "Ask and it will be given to you...If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..."
Matthew 7:15-16: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them."
Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Matthew 5:37: "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
Is the church a business or a place of worship where we learn and practice the teachings of Christ? Is the church a replica of the regular world with a religious flair thrown in or an alternative to what is currently considered normal behaviour? Is the church a place where the ways of money predominate or a place where we strive to obey God?
A couple of elders of the church agreed to give me information, publicly. A few weeks after dead silence, one said it had nothing to do with her, ask so-and-so. The others just pretended their "Yes" to the request for information did not happen; they not only did not provide the information but ignored gentle reminders. Perhaps their voice mail and e-mails all crashed at the same time, for the entire week or so, and so they missed my reminders...perhaps. Methinks they were not keen on the idea of leaning on God to provide money for a new initiative, and they figured the passive aggressive business approach to ignoring pesky co-workers would work better for them.
And then there's the do-not-respond mode of communication so favoured today. I must be a little naive, as I'd thought the church would be the one safe haven from such self-absorption, that at least between fellow church-goers this sort of thing would not apply, that wanting to be more like Jesus, we would make an effort to give -- an answer, a response, a thank you, a favour -- in response to a question. Guess not.
Matthew 7:15-16: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them."
Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Matthew 5:37: "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
Is the church a business or a place of worship where we learn and practice the teachings of Christ? Is the church a replica of the regular world with a religious flair thrown in or an alternative to what is currently considered normal behaviour? Is the church a place where the ways of money predominate or a place where we strive to obey God?
A couple of elders of the church agreed to give me information, publicly. A few weeks after dead silence, one said it had nothing to do with her, ask so-and-so. The others just pretended their "Yes" to the request for information did not happen; they not only did not provide the information but ignored gentle reminders. Perhaps their voice mail and e-mails all crashed at the same time, for the entire week or so, and so they missed my reminders...perhaps. Methinks they were not keen on the idea of leaning on God to provide money for a new initiative, and they figured the passive aggressive business approach to ignoring pesky co-workers would work better for them.
And then there's the do-not-respond mode of communication so favoured today. I must be a little naive, as I'd thought the church would be the one safe haven from such self-absorption, that at least between fellow church-goers this sort of thing would not apply, that wanting to be more like Jesus, we would make an effort to give -- an answer, a response, a thank you, a favour -- in response to a question. Guess not.
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