Positive Thinking

I want to encourage you today to think of the church and its people in a positive way. Preachers, elders, and even regular members often tend to look at the negative things that are going on in the church. Granted, it is not only appropriate to have concern, but we are commanded by God to protect the church and fight for the church. So please do not read this and think that I am saying that we should not be doctrinally sound. I am not saying we should not keep the church holy. I am not saying we should not be evangelsistic and build up a new generation of believers.

On a typical Sunday morning, I am looking all over the building to see who is and isn't present. I am interested some in numbers - always checking the attendance and the offering. If we have a special event, I am looking even closer at these things. Preachers want churches to grow, have spiritual revivals, see changes in people, and have positive results all of the time.

Because preachers are so results oriented, sometimes we only look for the outward signs of what we would consider a spiritually strong church. We may not be happy to see so few publicly respond to the invitation. We may be discouraged with poor attendance. We may even be ready to just give up when something we are planning falls apart. We are human. It is natural for us to have moments of dissappointment when it looks from the outside like nobody cares.

But I am here to tell you, people care and they care all the time. Meals are being cooked for people who need them. Homes and healthcare facilities are being visited. Those who have lost loved ones are being comforted and prayed for. Cards are being written. Words of encouragement are being spread. People are involved in various programs every week. On an individual level, Christians are considering their relationships with God daily and contemplating how they ought to walk with Christ. There are so many things that we cannot account for that people are doing. But God knows all of these things and I believe we tend to give people less credit than they deserve.

I believe in the church that Jesus built and I believe in the people who have submitted their lives to God in order to be a part of it. I believe in the fact that people can, will and do change. I believe that God is working on hearts, that His word is powerful, and this His way is best.

The church and its people are doing better than we often think. Praise God for the love He has given us, which binds us together and helps us to love God and one another!

"Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul..." ~ Acts 4:32