Cleaning out the Temple

Sometimes I feel like I need to do this.
Just get there on Sunday and go around knocking sense into people.
Jesus did it.
He rolled through the temple with a whip and kicked them out. All the peddlers and merchants selling their wares were abruptly sent out of the temple. They did good business in the temple. I'm quite sure there were kick backs to the priests so you got a good spot.

But all of that is merely an aside to what I'm really getting to.

Church would be so much easier without all those people in it. Then with just me and Jesus we could clean up this one horse town. I'd have no one in my face talking about crazy stuff and struggling with the fact the this person is not doing it the right way. There will be peace and I'll be able to relax and have a great time.

Of course I'm never going to do this. I know its just so stupid to do. Why do I want to get rid of everyone when the problem is that the temple I need to clean out is my own. My own understanding of God's grace is lacking. I have not accepted His peace.

The reason why other people annoy and frustrate us is because we believe they have problems that we hold ourselves. They also have other traits that are human and we see them when what we need to see is the fact that they are like us. Fallen human beings who have grabbed hold of the promise of Jesus Christ and His saving grace. They need to be loved.

Its pride that says to us. I know more than you listen to me. I know what you need to learn. Follow me and I will lead you in a deeper understanding of Jesus. You need to show love and care. You can't teach anyone if you think your better because you know a bit more. Its a fine line and you can fall into it so very easily.

If you find yourself in that situation you need to be patient and ask God what you need to learn from these people. Just because you have a bit more experience in one area doesn't mean that they are any less than you. It may be that these brothers and sisters have something you really need to learn. It also may be that Jesus is working stuff in you, so your squirming is a reaction to Him.

We are all going to heaven half a mile a day. Its a song by Johnny Cash and its just so true. No one gets to heaven any faster than anyone else. We have our walks and they are different because God made us individuals and he deals with us that way.

So when the rest of the Church are running this way and that and things look like chaos realise that they are like you. These people are loved by Christ, he died for them just like He died for you. If He loves them and can deal with them why can't you?

May His peace fill you to overflowing, always.