Uncomfortable Truth (Issue #8 10/16/22)

We have an uncomfortable “secret” in the Church. A truth which rings in the heart of almost all of us.

The truth is this….

We do or have not felt welcome or wanted in our community of faith. For some of us, this was a one time occurrence. For others, it has been a lifetime experience. Parishioners can feel rejected or ostracized for a multitude of reasons — volunteer status, hidden abuse, political views, fashion choices, sexual orientation, financial status, marital status, and so forth. One of two things typically happens when we experience this type of community exclusion — abandonment of faith or silent suffering.

I believe this dark side of faith manifests from the three Cs — condemnation, criticism, and cliques. We are human beings. We do human things — including the icky. We WANT to belong and feel important, so it is easier to point fingers and ostracize others so we feel included. Church SHOULD be the place where we can most be ourselves, but we all have our own versions of the “Sunday smile”.

And then enter Jesus….

When I once walked through a rather dark period of feeling rejected and unwelcome in my church, a very wise friend helped me through by reminding me of one very important thing. Jesus went through the same thing. He was criticized and condemned. He most certainly was not part of the “cool kids” clique. He was a rabbi whose own community and faith circle rejected him, because he didn’t match up to their standards.

Don’t believe me? Read Luke 6:1-5. Do you see the three Cs in this passage? How about in Matthew 9:1-8? Or Mark 6:5?

Seeing myself in this passage gave me such hope and deepened my love for Jesus — church or no church. And isn’t that the point? Yes, it is important to have a community of faith….to study the Word and allow it nurture our minds and hearts. It is equally important we build a circle of individuals who not only encourage our walk with Jesus, but who are there to hold space for us when we feel far from Him.

How might have the story of Jesus been different if the Pharisees and His home community had not pushed Him away? Who has God brought into your life to shine the light of acceptance and support on your heart? How do you think the church can be better at being a safe space? What does that meant to you? What blessings are we missing in our own lives when we push away those who see things differently?

Just a few things to contemplate. And if you would like to share, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to comment or contact me. If you are someone reading this who feels like you don’t belong, you have a place here. I’d love to hear your story.