Have you ever looked around on Sunday morning and realized that a lot of teenagers are no longer attending church with their parents? If you haven't, take a few minutes and see if a few names don't come to mind.
My girls have asked me on several occasions why certain parents don't make their children come to church. Specifically, teen-aged children. To them, it was a matter of discipline: "You live in my house, you follow my rules." I wonder...
We've all heard it said that Christians drive more people away from the church, and God, than Satan does. I've known that to be true for years. My father was a perfect example. Family members were unable to let go of the mistakes he had made as a teen. These were "good Christian people" who had leadership roles in the church. Yet, they showed no understanding of grace and mercy. Yes, they believed the Bible to be God-inspired, infallible, and a guide to life. BUT, they had a problem applying the truths from God's word.
My dad knew scripture and would bitterly quote it when referring to them. "Judge not, lest ye be judged," comes to mind, as does "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
The idea that "we ALL have sinned and fall short" was always present as I was growing up. It saddened me to know that the same people who were winning souls for Christ, were the very same people who could not accept those souls within the church. I often wondered if witnessing to people had become an equivalent to the gunslinger's notch on the belt.
How often do we love people to Christ only to dump them after a few weeks? I've seen this over and over again as those new in Christ do not change their appearance (personal grooming habits), wardrobe, vocabulary (or some other glaring imperfection) fast enough to suit the mature Christians within the congregation.
None of us want to be judged, and yet, we are quick to pass judgment on others. As adults, we know that we shouldn't jump to conclusions. I remember being told as a child, "Don't judge a book by it's cover." Perhaps you remember this one, "Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes."
The next time I see teenagers talking during worship, I will smile and raise my finger to my lips to "hush" them and remind myself that I'd rather see them whispering in church than yelling in the streets. The next time I see a boy with jeans that are dangerously close to falling off, or a girl with a top that exposes too much skin, I will try to remember that Jesus didn't shy away from the woman at the well.
I want to be more tolerant, how about you?
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