2 Members – 1 Church – Helpful Truth You Need to Know

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The church is full of all kinds of people - what kind of church member are you? #LoveGod #Faith #Blessings

It’s been years, but I can still picture them well.

They were members of our small church in St. Louis.

For my story today, I’m going to call them members A and B.

Member A –

A was a slightly built man with a wisp of silver hair. He had a huge smile and a bear hug that wrapped around you and well, you just knew he meant it! Both A and his wife were humble servants … faithfully doing the unheralded jobs that few others wanted to do. They were always there early and they stayed late.

I picture A standing near the entrance welcoming everyone who walked in with a handshake or a hug and the following simple sentence:

Do you know how much Jesus loves you?

Rev remembers how he would bring his 5’8″ frame right up to his 6’6″ one, grab him by the collar, look him in the eye and say, “I pray for you every single day!” And we knew he did!

Member B –

Member B was a taller more distinguished-looking man. He always held leadership positions and knew how the church should run. He liked tradition and was outspoken and unhappy about most changes. He served that church and gave generously. He was doing it right and felt it important that he should help others “do it right,” too!

I remember one exchange with B’s wife …

Rev and I had struggled with secondary infertility for 7 years. One particularly bad hormone swing day, I shared with her that I was hurting and sad. She stepped in close, shook her finger in my face, and told me I should be ashamed of myself. I was blessed with two healthy children and I should stop feeling sorry for myself and be thankful.

I was thankful for my children! Very thankful. I just had an exceptionally powerful mom gene! And at that moment, more than anything I wanted and needed love, kindness, and compassion.

Two members – One Church

One full of love the other full of self-righteousness.

I believe A and B and their wives loved Jesus and that they were trying to follow Him to the best of their abilities.

I also believe there is a little A and B in each of us.

The church is full of all kinds of people - what kind of church member are you? #LoveGod #Faith #Blessings

I wrote the following as part of Mondays’ post…

God selected Abraham and his descendants as His chosen people not to exclude the other nations but because He wanted to draw all people to Himself through them. Had the Israelites followed God’s will they would have shown surrounding nations the blessings of living as God’s children.

God wanted His people to be “holy” or “set apart” … to look different from everyone else because as He blessed their obedience, others would want what they had.

Then on Tuesday morning, I read the following in Ezekiel…

 I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them. And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the Lord, who had set them apart to be holy. Ezekiel 20:11–12

Decrees and regulations so they could find life.

A day of rest as a sign of the covenant … that they were set apart as His. A day to refocus their priorities and remember all He had done for them.

Why?

Love!!!

God gave His commands and the Sabbath out of love. He knew obedience would make their lives better.  And He set them apart so the people around them would see the blessings of living in a relationship with the one true God.

And yet, time and again, like you and me … God’s people failed to trust and obey completely.

They chose idolatry, power, prestige, popularity, and personal comfort over obedience. They wanted what the non-believers had. It looked good. It sounded good. It felt good.

It was self-focused and selfish.

I want to be like Mr. and Mrs. A! I want my love for Jesus to bubble out of me all over everyone who meets me. I want to serve humbly as an offering of gratitude for all God has done for me.

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Ephesians 6:7

Unfortunately, I recall times when I’ve been more like Mr. and Mrs. B than I’d like to admit. Times when I was critical and judgmental, and yes, maybe even a little self-righteous.

So today, I asking God to forgive me. I’m also asking Him to help me keep my focus on Jesus.

Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Hebrews 12:1b–2a

I’m asking Him to help me love Him through obedience … not to win His pleasure or gain His blessings but to glorify and thank Him for all He has given me and done for me through Jesus.

Two Members - One Church - Helpful Truth You Need to Know by Deb Wolf @ CountingMyBlessings #Blessings #Faith #Church

John the Baptist said, “He must become more important while I become less important.” John 3:30

I like to say it this way…

Less of me! More of Jesus!

I want people to see Jesus in me. I want them to want what I have. I want them to love the One I love!

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16 Comments

  1. Deb, Thank you! I too want others to see Jesus in me. I have been person B one too many times.

  2. Thank you for this article. I am like Mrs B sometimes, well, more often than naught, and this article makes me want to repent and beg God to make me like Mrs A.

  3. Deb, I understand how you felt in that time when you were seeking empathy but received judgment. I have been on both sides of that discussion, and Jesus is teaching me to always lean toward empathy, not shaming others. Thank you for speaking the truth today!

  4. How easy it is for us to allow pride and self-righteousness to slowly add its weight to our lives, and how much longer it takes to strip ourselves of it. Our good work and good intentions can so easily get skewed, and I think everything comes back to “love.” At least that’s the message God continues to impress on me in this decade-long situation I’ve been navigating. Isn’t that what creates the most change and stirs the hardest heart?

  5. Great post, Deb! I spent many years trying to please the type B’s. I desperately wanted them to see godliness in me. When I felt God stirring my heart to listen to His voice above the others, it was life-changing. I discovered the love of God in a whole new way that brought about delight in serving, loving and obeying God instead of striving “to be godly” all the time and hoping others would see it (especially the type Bs). And yet, I know I have been that type B more times than I care to admit, and I pray that the daily struggle of my flesh would help me to live more like Jesus and less about myself. Beautiful post, Deb. Hugs!

  6. Amen, Deb!
    May we be more like that first little man than that second!
    Sure do appreciate you!

  7. Deb- I really loved this! Unfortunately, I grew up with a lot of Mr. and Mrs. B’s around. For a very long time, I had an inappropriate view of God as a task-master and a hard God, not expecting me to feel or to show emotion. I think my view of God was built in part by the Christians that surrounded me growing up. I’m not pointing fingers, and I loved these people and still do – but this seems to be a trap a lot of Christians (including myself) fall into. I desperately want people to see the love of Jesus in me. I have been guilty of being judgmental and constantly pray to have a heart of compassion towards others, remembering that we all have battles we face that no one else can see. Thank you for another great post!

  8. Yes, more of Him and His will! Thanks for sharing and hosting!

  9. Hi Deb,
    Yes, more of Jesus shinibg forth!
    Thank you for hosting.
    Jennifer

  10. I’m very familiar with these two types of members! Yes–let’s be like A!

  11. Oh yes… I agree! I think we all have a bit of A and B in each of us! My prayer is that Love will win and Jesus will be seen in and through me and He will get the glory! Glad we are neighbors!

  12. Joy Lenton says:

    Deb, there’s no doubt we would all prefer to be the more outwardly loving, kind, thoughtful and generous A than the less favourable B, yet all of us are probably a mix of them at times. I love your prayer. Yes to more of Jesus and less of me! May He be made more manifest to others through our surrendered lives. Blessings on your week. 🙂