April 29, 2021 - Have you ever seen items on sale at a greatly reduced price and in the fine print you read “slight imperfections?” Have you ever thought about how that describes us? The church is composed of folks that have imperfections. There are members, preachers, bible class teachers, song-leaders and others with “slight imperfections.” Amazingly, God has over the years been able to work wonders through imperfect people. In fact, God has never had a chance with any other kind.
If a preacher ever finds a congregation with no faults, he will have found a place where no teaching, preaching or training is necessary. If a congregation finds a perfect preacher, he will seem unreal, completely without understanding of the difficulties and burdens and sorrows people with slight imperfections struggle with.
It is imperfect Christians, working together, forgiving one another’s faults, who come nearest to presenting Christ the “perfect” church.
If you know of someone who stays away from the church, away from the worship because there are people there with imperfections, invite them in. There is always room for one more imperfect person. Also, just how perfect does it make you when you refuse to forgive the imperfections of another? How perfect does it make you, when you try to destroy the usefulness of another in the kingdom of Christ because they might be “slightly imperfect?”
I don’t guess we should take a personal inventory. We might find that we have “slight imperfections.”
It’s something to think about… tbp
Center Church of Christ, 110 Hurst Street Center, Texas or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
