Just recently I was having a phone conversation with one of my dearest friends. She lives in another state and it has been over a decade since we have lived everyday life together but our friendship is very close! We talk about everything and lately our conversations have found their way to a subject that unfortunately is alive and well even in our most "spiritual" of circles. Exclusivity.
She told me about a bible study that a young teenage girl, new to her area tried to attend. My friend explained that this young girl didn't really know many people and heard about this bible study and thought it would be a great way to get to know other girls who were Christians. This young girl's mother called the mother where the group would be hosted to introduce herself and try to get to know her before approaching the subject of her daughter coming to their group. This Hostess was sticky sweet and in her best southern accent explained that her daughter's group had already been discussing this new girl and had VOTED and decided that she wouldn't fit with them and wouldn't be able to be a part of this group.
As I listened to the details of this unbelievable scenario my stomach turned, my pulse quickened and I am pretty sure my face was red. I responded, "VOTED? They VOTED on who was welcome to a prayer group or bible study? And the mother supported this? Are you serious? Are we really still in this kind of a place in Christian Circles? Have we really learned anything at all from knowing Jesus? Or is knowing Him more about a social status and exclusivity clubs?
Unfortunately, this spirit is not as rare as you may be thinking it was. But it doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to passively allow what has nothing to do with Jesus Christ to be the norm in our world. We actually cannot expect people who don't know Jesus to want to know Him at all as long as this is the way we roll. Whenever I see such situations like the one I just spoke of, situations involving Christians who really should know better, it is very alarming. In moments like this it is good to take a moment and go to the Word of God and see again where the true STANDARD for life must always remain.
Luke 14:12-14 in the Message Bible says, "Then He (Jesus) turned to the Host. 'The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be- and experience- a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned-, Oh how it will be returned! At the resurrection of God's people.'"
Jesus always cuts right to the heart of the matter in any situation, He goes right for the MOTIVE. He is challenging the Pharisees in this passage on WHY they would only invite certain people to a gathering. He is basically saying that they only wanted to be around people who could "do" something for them or people that would keep up the "attractiveness level" of their gathering. Their eyes were on all of the wrong things! I think one of the things Jesus hated the most about the Pharisee spirit is that they would often do things "in God's name" that had absolutely NOTHING to do with God at all!
So where does this leave us? It leaves us in a place of truly examining our gatherings and meetings and asking ourselves some honest questions. When was the last time I looked for anyone who was new to get to know? Do I even pay attention to who might be on the "sidelines" of life? Do I ever invite someone in to a meeting I am having in the name of Jesus who, in my opinion may not naturally "fit" there? Or, God forbid, would I consider inviting someone from another church or even worse, doesn't go to church at all, to my home to get to know? And if I do try to look for someone like this, do I make them my project or charity, or do I truly bring them in as my FRIEND? ( For the record, don't bother if you you have a project or charity mentality towards someone. They can feel it!)
My friends, we have work to do if we really want to represent Jesus Christ in all of His beauty in the worlds that we live in. It is so great to go to conferences and be in church 80 times a week, but if we don't have the SPIRIT that Jesus walked the earth in towards people, we have gained nothing.
I will sign off with one final question. Looking honestly, what are your circles like? Who is honestly welcome? Thanksgiving is coming up soon, shouldn't someone new be welcomed at your table this year? Be the change this week in Jesus' Name.
