ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
May 14, 2022
In his book, “If God Is Love , Don’t Be A Jerk,” John Pavloviitz has a chapter entitled: “The Church of Not Being Horrible.” When I first read the chapter title, I laughed out loud. It sounds as if he is setting the bar pretty low, but maybe it’s a good first step. John writes:
I’ve always joked that I am going to start a new church: The Church of Not Being Horrible. Our mission statement would simply be Don’t be horrible to people. Our what we believe doctrinal statements would be replaced by how we treat people promise: Don’t treat them as less worthy of love, respect, dignity, joy, and opportunity than you are. Don’t create caricatures of them based on their skin color, their religion, their sexual orientation, the amount of money they have, or the circumstances they find themselves in. Don’t seek to take away things from them that you already enjoy in abundance: civil rights, clean water, education, marriage, access to health care. Don’t tell someone’s story for them about why they are poor, depressed, addicted, victimized, or alone. Let them tell their story and believe they know it better than you do. Don’t imagine that your experience of the world is everyone’s experience of the world; that the ease, comfort, support, affection you have received are universal. Don’t be preoccupied with how someone experiences God, how they define family, whom they love. Cultivate your own faith, family, and marriage. The central question at any given moment in the church of Not Being Horrible is, Am I being horrible right now?
I am not suggesting we change our Vision and Mission Statements here at Cypress Creek Christian Church, and it does feel as if John is setting the bar a bit low. But as you are striving to Put Love First In All Things, a good question to ask about your interactions with folks: Am I being a horrible person? If the answer comes anywhere near a YES, then it might be an opportunity to revisit what Putting Love First really means.
Merciful and Gracious God, as I strive to hit a mark above not being horrible to people, I pray for assistance in my discernment. It is way too easy to fall into the trap of imposing my assumptions on other people. I too often postulate incorrectly about other people’s lives, viewing them strictly through the lens of my own experience. Teach me to ask good questions and listen intently as others tell their stories. This is my request in the name of the one who asked often, “What do you want me to do?” Amen.
