Says Padraic C.: "My parents were taking out some recyclables, when a few old cardboard boxes fell off the stack. By the time they got back from the end of the driveway, they saw this"
Cats are some of the most "free-est" creatures. The world is their, well, world. Yet, with all the openness around, all the free space...they chose to sit in these boxes.
Reminds me of Christians, or maybe people in general....freedom is all around, yet we persist in sticking our butts in a safe zone. I keep reading what I just wrote and I can't seem to say in words what I'm thinking. I've been going to a house church off and on. I was hoping it would be different, and it is, but people keep falling back into their preconceived roles: a leader at the front who wants to let go, but keeps snatching it all back; another guy who knows the Bible inside and out and will tell you so, except he's just really a humble guy...and will tell you that as well. Then there are the Worship people who are the only ones who can seem to lead worship, even though there are bunches of folks with great voices. Then comes sweeping in the "I am a prophet" big-haired scary woman who has a Word for everyone. And I mean, that her "Word" for everyone could FIT everyone. Really nothing specific. In my opinion, a Word for an individual should be privately given...that's kind of a common sense manners kind of thing, because you might invoke an emotional response that the receiver may not want to express publicly. So, we're in a circle of people and someone points and declares they have a Word for YOU...and you're trapped like a deer in headlights. So we're sitting there, listening to teaching from the same people, and when you interject a comment or question during the teaching, all the people with their church faces look at you like, "How can you interupt the TEACHING with a THOUGHT?? A COMMENT??" So, I imagine the Holy Spirit sitting there, wanting to add something, but no one is listening for that still, small voice because they are too far away from it, still sitting there...in their little boxes.......
4 comments:
Run for your life!
Very well said. When you realize that the group isn't what you hoped it would be, what do you do next? Do you work with what you have or find another group?
Well, you have choices, I guess. You put up with what you can, because we all have varying degrees of belief in certain things. For instance, the gift of tongues makes some folks uncomfortable...but as long as it is "orderly" it shouldn't bother anyone unless someone is doing a "Dawn of the Dead" routine, and throwing it in people's faces.
I have no problem with all of the things that come with the faith...as long as no one traps me with their stuff.
I'll meet with the "pastor" of this group and let her know what I'm thinking.
Let the Spirit lead, as usual....
Great analogy! The cats remind me of kids (my brother and sister and I) when they pull stuff out of their first Christmas stockings. The first thing we did was look at the others' suprises to see if we all got the same thing. Luckily the number of boxes matched the number of cats.
You cracked me up with the big-haired scary woman - cracked me up because it is so true. I think it all boils down to the "leader." A good leader is more of a facilitator rather than a dictator. I guess sometimes people get on a power-trip and like to hear themselves talk.
Post a Comment