Several years ago I went through the difficult challenge of a divorce. One of the challenges I faced was accepting the reality that other people would know I wasn’t perfect. I always knew I wasn’t perfect; I just didn’t want other people to know. Through the help of my counselor, I came to accept the reality of my imperfection. This is not to say that I stopped trying to improve; I just accepted the reality that no one is perfect. The graphic on this blog is a picture of the incomplete puzzle I framed to remind me that it is okay to be a work in progress.
Why is it so hard for Christians to admit imperfection? I’m not talking about saying you are a sinner; I’m talking about admitting the specific sins you struggle with. Why is it so hard for a church to acknowledge and talk about problems that the church is facing? I’m not talking about glorifying the sin or cheapening grace; I’m talking about honesty and transparency. This doesn’t mean we should walk around with a t-shirt that lists our deepest, darkest secrets. Prudence is required in our disclosure.
A perfect church is only appealing to perfect people. But since neither of those exists, why do we pretend they do? When I was going through my divorce, I sought the help of others that I knew were divorced. I wanted someone who could understand what I was experiencing and help me through it. The lost and broken people in this world (you know, the ones the church is called to save) are going to be drawn to people who offer both empathy and hope. Christians who can say, “I know what you’re going through. I’ve been there and, while I’m not perfect, I’m also not where I used to be. Let me share with you how Jesus brought hope and healing to my life.”
Chad Hess
No comments:
Post a Comment