These are the blogs of my last month in youth ministry and some lessons and things God has taught me:
WAL-MART VS. THE REAL SAVING PLACE
If you’re one of my kids you probably don’t need to read this because you’ve heard me use this example over and over through the years and can probably tell it better than me.
You ever been to Wal-Mart? Who hasn’t right? I used to go all the time because I would pass 3 of them going to and from work. I’m what you would call a professional Wal-Mart shopper. So let me tell you about some of my experiences at Wal-Mart:
I have received horrible customer service from employees there, I have been charged a higher price at check out than I was supposed to be charged on items, I have waited in line for what seemed like hours waiting to be checked out, I have had to go through 3 or 4 shopping carts before I got one that actually drove straight, my wife recently bought a food item there that had been expired for over a year, I have had to look at large women in pants that were too small, I have had to look at teenage boys in pants that were too big, I have been nearly run over by my fellow shoppers, I have had to put up with screaming babies, I have been nearly killed by electric shopping carts driven by people who can’t drive a car because if they did they would kill someone but by all means let them drive those little scooter buggies in tight spaces, I have gotten out of my car only to jump back in because there was a robbery taking place and the perp was running down the aisle I had parked on, I have seen people in there that I had rather not see or talk to, and all that was just the last time I went there! Of course I’m just kidding about that but I’m not kidding about all of that actually happening on the numerous visits I have made to Wal-Mart.
So what is the point in all this? Well we’ve all heard this excuse before, “I don’t go to church anymore because so and so hurt my feelings or I got treated badly there so I’m not going to go back.” That’s when I pose the question…“Ever go to Wal-Mart?” You see we have bad experiences all the time at Wal-Mart and restaurants and work and with family and school and pretty much anywhere you go and anyone you spend any amount of time with but church seems to be the only place that if we get our feelings hurt there or get treated badly there we have a forever excuse never to go back. It’s a copout is all it is. And you can Tweet that.
I can make one promise about church. If you go there and have any kind of involvement you will be hurt by someone and it ain’t gonna happen just one time. Put your big boy or big girl britches on and grow up. Besides, you going to church for the people or are you going to church for God?
Imagine the following hypothetical conversation if you would please:
(The scene: You run into Jesus while shopping at Wal-Mart, He is asking an associate where the fish is to which the associate promptly sends Him to the electronics department)
Jesus: “Hey there I missed seeing you at church on Sunday!”
Me/You: “Yeah Jesus you know I just got hurt by someone there real bad and I just don’t see myself going back to that place. Sorry but you know how I feel and understand right?
Jesus: “Hey I totally understand. Those religious church people back in my day used to give me grief all the time. They tried to trick me and make me look bad in front of everyone. This one time they even tried to stone me. And oh yeah one time they tried to push me over this cliff. But I kept going back and spending time with them and trying to be nice and teach them but they kept doing the same things to me. It got so bad that those church people even started to devise their ultimate plan to murder me. I still went and talked to them and hung out with them as much as I could though. That is until they hung me up on the cross to die. But you know what that was ok because that was my Father’s plan and actually funny thing is I still love the church and it’s people and that is who I died for and I still show up there every single time they meet despite all they did to me.”
Me/You: “Uhhh….”
Guys and gals you cannot use the excuses that you use to not go to church unless you plan on using them on everything else in your life. And if you do that have fun living in solitary confinement.
End of story.
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Well Keith, I personally refer to Wal-Mart as the Evil Empire. Anytime I am forced to go there I always hear the Star Wars imperial theme music. I have made a personal decision to try my hardest not to give them any of my hard earned money. Target is my chosen alternative. I truly see Wal-Mart as the demise of all true American Small Businesses. They are a huge contributor of creating poverty by paying most of their employees minimum wage on a part time basis. Unless you sell your soul and family time to become a salaried manager where you will work no less than 60 hours. That is how I feel about that. Now onto the true point of your blog. Church. I am not a Christian. I do not want the label. I am exactly one of those people you speak of. In 2008 I died and against the odds came back and survived. This event was to say the least life altering in many ways. It really gives you a different perspective on everything. I looked back and realised i had been wasting my life. One of the biggest changes I enacted was to rid myself of any Family, so called friends who were a negative influence. Life to me is really to short to waste it on people who are negative in one way or another. So I appreciate Jesus for his sacrifice. I am not Jesus. I will live the rest of my life surrounded by people who love me and are a positive influence. In the blink of an eye your life will be over. Hopefully your faith and belief about the afterlife are true. I do not believe that it will have anything to do with your attendance record at church nor how many negative people you tolerated.
ReplyDeleteEddie I remember when you had your major health issues. I remember sitting in my office and hearing about them and thinking that sort of thing isn't supposed to happen to younger guys. I can only imagine how life altering that event really was for you.
ReplyDeleteI understand not wanting to be labeled a Christian also. I understand the hypocrisy we show. But being a Christian never ever makes you perfect. Ever. I still make so many mistakes and mess up every single day. The label I do not want is "religious." Religion to me is what is so bad. I want the relationship though, the relationship with Jesus. In reality, that is the only thing good about Keith Crain.
You are right that our lives will be over in the blink of an eye. Our lives on earth that is. But after that we have one of two destinys to face, Heaven or hell. And you are right, church attendance or who we put up with will have nothing to do with where we end up. That will be determined by if we have ever accepted Jesus into our hearts.
I'm praying for you buddy. I always enjoyed our business relationships and our occasional political differences on facebook. Here's hoping the Spurs can win one more with Duncan!! You ever need anything or wanna talk about anything you still have a friend in me and I'll do whatever I can for you.