Killing The Lump Under the Rug


Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me; practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.”
Paul is encouraging the Philippian church to keep their focus on Christ.  Not directly, but all those words he uses are attributes of Christ and therefore, a Christ-like character.  For some time now, the American Church's Christ-like character has taken a beating because the focus has strayed.  I am just as blame-worthy as the next.  The demand for a Biblical standard among the membership has waned.  Accountability is relative based on who you are, who your family is, how long you've been a member, how much you tithe...etc.    Pride and over-inflated ideas of self importance have invaded The Church's lay leadership like a virus.  So, it should be no surprise that gossip abounds and lies are embraced as truth.  Vile and disgraceful attitudes go unchecked.  Anointed, called ministers of The Gospel are treated like hired help.  Innocent reputations are sullied and carelessly sacrificed.  The focus becomes what the church wants from God instead of what God wants for the church. And until Jesus Christ is returned to His rightful place as the center of our attention, nothing is going to change. 
 
To change the focus, the habit of sweeping church conflict under the rug has to stop!  You can pretend the issue doesn't exist.  You can remain neutral and refuse to take a stand.  You can exhaust yourself, volleying between injured parties to smooth ruffled feathers and whisper soothing words into contentious ears.  In doing all these things,  you might view yourself a peacemaker.  Makes me think of a scene from one of my favorite movies.  In "The Princess Bride," Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) has a special fondness for the word "inconceivable."  He uses it ALL the time.  So much, in fact, that the people around him begin to wonder if he really understands the word.  Inigo (God bless you, Mandy Patinkin!) finally tells Vizzini, "You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means."  Avoidance and neutrality don't make you a hero.  Quite the opposite...it makes you a coward.  An appeaser.  A pacifist.
 
What the American Church needs is an ark load of true peacemakers.  Now, don't go getting this namby-pamby idea of what a peacemaker is.  My Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker and he was no weakling.  Those tables that he turned over in the temple...one handed...while swinging a cat-of-nine-tails with the other...were solid wood.  Heavy.  Not exactly portable.  And He was angry.  Why?  Because the merchants had turned the temple into a marketplace and what they were selling was cheap, counterfeit grace.  My Jesus fully understood the cost of God's grace.  My Jesus fully understood that there was...there is...no imitation that even comes close. 
 
You see, peacemakers understand just how precious God's grace and the peace of Christ truly are.   They grasp the freedom found in God's truth and how deep The Father's love really is.  They recognize that when all else fails, that grace, that peace, that truth, THAT love remain.  They know that the American Church is supposed to a vessel for the love, peace, grace and truth of God and our credibility within the un-churched community has tanked because we are so preoccupied with things like the color of the church's Christmas decorations...or using screens instead of hymnals...or a rumor about a year old picture posted via social media that has been PROVEN false but just won't DIE! (A word to those who like to whisper in dark corners, plotters of treachery and appeasers, the young ones are watching.  Be very careful how you conduct yourselves.  Your words and deeds cause confusion and doubt.  You don't want to be the reason that one coming along behind you turns from the purpose God has for his/her life.  Better to hang a millstone around your neck, right?) Peacemakers will run to battle because they have confidence in Who owns the battle.  Peacemakers accept the godly standard of taking care of business because it's the only way to get godly results.  Church integrity...the everlasting peace of Christ...the unwavering grace, the boundless love, the unblemished truth...getting our focus back on Jesus...those are battles worth waging. 
 
Ignore the conflict. Molehills become mountains.  Mountains become volcanoes.  Volcanoes erupt.  Hysteria, confusion and bedlam ensue.  Hire, fire, reorganize, re-label, revamp. Until the focus is put back on Jesus...and made to remain there...until The Church starts doing bid-ness according to God's standards, this cycle of destructive behavior will just keep spinning.   Lumpy rugs are unattractive and dangerous.  It's time to kill the lumpy rugs, beloved...it's time. 
 

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