I read a blog this morning that really got me thinking. So there is your warning. This isn't going to be cute. It won't be nice and neat. It may be a little too much for you. But I just have to say it.
The blog was talking about a church that is in the process of transforming their new building. The church wants to be "relevant", and relevant to them means to have a sparkly, over-the-top building in order to reach out to those around them. As I kept thinking about it, I got madder and madder. I thought, "Yes. Just what we Americans need. Another plastic church to make plastic people feel comfortable!" But then I realized that I should probably quit judging because you never know what God's vision is for that church. AND, I should quit judging and look at my own life.
I immediately thought of this:
We've all seen these cute, little, plastic kitchens. I (am weird) started imagining sitting around a table with people and eating this plastic food. Everyone puts on a fake smile and talks about how wonderful the fake food is. Each of us knows that the food is fake, but we are all too fake to let on that we know. (Just follow me here.) The plastic food is bright and colorful. It isn't messy, and there is no clean up involved. In fact, you don't really have to eat it. Just look at it, smile to the other people at the table, get up and go on with life.
That is one group of people. Another group looks at the fakies sitting at the table, thinks they are nuts (rightfully so), and wants to have nothing to do with the plastic dinner.
How many times have I sat at a table like this and put on that cheesy grin? And how many times have I served a plastic meal to people and thought I was doing them a favor? How many times have my kids watched me serve it to them or someone else? How many times have I been looked at as a fake and even made the idea of the real food something to be avoided? Does that make sense?
I know that there is real food out there. I can eat (and have eaten) the real food and be satisfied, thankful, rejuvenated, healthy...
So why do I go back to the plastic food? Is it because it's simpler? I mean, real food takes time to make, a lot of clean up is involved, it costs something, and sometimes I make a mess all over myself.
I mean all of this spiritually, of course. I don't want to fill my life with fake anymore. I don't want for people to look at me and think that the plastic is as good as it gets!
A relationship with God takes time. Sometimes it's hard and can get a little messier than I'm comfortable with. But isn't it worth it? Isn't it satisfying?
We are all created with a spiritual hunger that only God can fill. All of us have tried to fill it with something else like relationships, money, work, hobbies, activities, and even church... But I want to stand up from the plastic dinner, look everyone in the eye and say, "I'm not going to sit here and pretend that this is satisfying. It's not. Let's go and get some real live, messy food! And then let's serve it to all of those hungry people that we meet each day."
God, would you open my (our) eyes to the places in my life where I have allowed "plastic" things to try and fill me? Help me to strive daily to know you and to make you known.
So, I've been dining on the fact that I think I can make it work myself because I've seen God in control enough...it looks easy, I'm sure I can handle it. Wow, I've been missing out.
What have you been dining on?
Addis Ababa Time
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