Have You Ever Seen Chaos?

Last night I was walking through the chaos that we call a home and did not like it very much. I couldn’t turn on lights, get in drawers, or walk outside without seeing a big mess. Tami and I knew when we started down this path a few weeks ago that we’d have to deal with these type of situations to get to the prize at the end of the line. It’s not easy because I’m a clean/control freak in my house. I want things to be where they’re supposed to be and to have easy access to them. We have a great contractor who helped me find peace in the midst of chaos. I’ve known remodeling guys who just leave you hanging and offer no explanation of why they are doing what they are doing. This leads to frustration and high levels of stress that you shouldn’t have to carry. Our contractor was good at reminding us of the ultimate goal and what we’ll see if we stick to the course. Although there may be times we just want to say “Put it back!”, our faith in his abilities and design imagination keep us going down this path.

In the church, we often go through seasons of change. Change is not a bad thing, but if you are in prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance then you may be the one changing. We serve a very creative God who can see the end design even though we can only see the next few days that lie ahead of us. God looks at that long-time believer who feels that anything beyond the norm in church is almost ungodly and shouldn’t be tolerated, while at the same time looking at that new young Christian who just got saved off the streets and doesn’t even understand the difference between communion and water baptism. This is the kind of church that I want to be a part of on a weekly basis: a church that preaches the truth of the gospel to a lost world. Those caught up in the rules and regulations need wisdom to bring balance because sitting next to them is some young believer who makes you smile because he or she has so much to learn.

You see, I’m called to not minimize the importance of showing love and respect to the Creator of all but instead to show all people that God loves them right where they are. Even if they don’t look the way I feel they should look, act the way I feel they should act, or talk the way I feel they should talk, I understand that just like me they are children of God saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Yes, there have been many times I’ve left a church service chuckling inside at something a young believer has done, but that’s OK. There are many Sundays I left church with Tami chuckling at me and what I’ve worn. In her eyes, I have no designer flare and can dress pretty horribly. I’ve heard all my life that we are to love and accept people as they are, so my question is this: why do we feel we have to change them immediately after they get saved? Let them learn through sound teaching and doctrine, prayer, and the greatest source of change, the prompting of the Holy Spirit.