Other Christians. Can't do corporate worship without them, and yet
sometimes it feels like we can't really do corporate worship with them
either.
How nice would it be if everyone would just mind their manners in weekend worship? So thinks our old self.
Let's admit it. We're tough on others, easy on ourselves. We assume
others should give us the benefit of the doubt---which is the very thing
we don't give to others.
She's the reason I'm distracted, the old self tells us.
If he weren't singing so loud---and so off key . . .
If they would just get off their iPads and smart phones. I'm sure they're all doing emails, or social media, rather than looking at the Bible text or taking notes.
We love to blame our neighbor, or the worship leader, for our
inability to engage in corporate worship. But the deeper problem usually
belongs to the one who is distracted. Few things are more hypocritical
than showing up to a worship gathering of the Friend of Sinners and
bellyaching that other sinners showed up too.
Checking Our Own Souls
If there is gospel etiquette for the gathered church, it starts with
evaluating my heart, not their actions. Frustration with others'
distracting behavior---whether in the pew in front of me, or on the
stage---is deeper and more dangerous than the nonchalance or negligence
that sidetracks others.
Of course, there are rare exceptions when someone really is totally
out of line. Such as the guy who brought his own tambourine one week.
But even in the occasional instance where someone's worship conduct is
seriously out of bounds, what if we started by asking ourselves some
hard questions?
- If love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), might God be calling me to look past this distraction I perceive?
- Am I really applying John 13:34-35 ("love one another") to fellow Christians in weekly corporate worship? If we can't apply John 13:34-35 when the church is gathered, are we really going to apply this elsewhere? Continue at David Mathis
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