I share these stories mainly for humor. It may indirectly foster reflection. I want my Christian brothers and sisters to think about how we experience an atmosphere of worship. These humorous stories might help.
Our acting troop used an exercise to prepare for performance. The leader would say a random noun, and then the actors used that word to perform. If the leader said “rain,” the actors pretended to carry umbrellas while others pretended to bounce in puddles. During the exercise, the leader said, “Church.” Suddenly, everyone had perfect posture. Everyone went stoic. Everyone acted prim and proper. Someone humorously whispered to his neighbor, “Can you believe she wore that to church.” Apparently, the word “church” conquers up ideas of prudes, gossips, formalist worship, and the worst kind of propriety. The leader broke after that last exercise. I said aloud, “That isn’t my church!” Everyone in the group laughed because we realized our representation was absurd and completely incorrect. It was a misrepresentation. We acted on the representation that society wants us to accept. It is a humorous representation and it is easily portrayed and characterized. However, not real.
Later that week, I went to a worship service held on a campus. (I won’t say what campus.) There was a worship service, a message, and a closing song. Before the closing song, I saw two college-aged boys behind a mouse scampering through the aisle. The teenage boys were attempting to direct the mouse to the main exit door, but they had no bravery to touch it. I was standing by the exit door by a row of teen girls. The two boys directing the mouse were quite entertaining. The teenage girls were giggling. I actually said something aloud, “Aww how cute.” Then the “adults” intervened. One adult, with a most heinous look, grabbed the mouse and removed it from the premises. I couldn’t read his thoughts, but I think he thought we were a distraction to the holy atmosphere. A couple other older men looked at us with indignation. “Oh holy God forgive these less than holy children for blaspheming your name by pulling their affections away from You and focusing on a mouse.” BLAH! The mouse was funny! The two teenage boys who didn’t want to touch it were even funnier.
I truly apologize if we were a distraction. I am sure the older men had good intentions. I don’t mean to mock their devotion. However, church is not always about creating an atmosphere of glory. We don’t create HOLINESS anyway. God’s presence is the glory. Our reverence is a response to His glory. Our attempts to be refined will look rather foolish. Our efforts to be proper will fail. Especially, when a mouse creeps into our sanctuary without our knowledge. Hahaha. Good joke, Jesus.Church is not our profession; it is our family.
Our acting troop used an exercise to prepare for performance. The leader would say a random noun, and then the actors used that word to perform. If the leader said “rain,” the actors pretended to carry umbrellas while others pretended to bounce in puddles. During the exercise, the leader said, “Church.” Suddenly, everyone had perfect posture. Everyone went stoic. Everyone acted prim and proper. Someone humorously whispered to his neighbor, “Can you believe she wore that to church.” Apparently, the word “church” conquers up ideas of prudes, gossips, formalist worship, and the worst kind of propriety. The leader broke after that last exercise. I said aloud, “That isn’t my church!” Everyone in the group laughed because we realized our representation was absurd and completely incorrect. It was a misrepresentation. We acted on the representation that society wants us to accept. It is a humorous representation and it is easily portrayed and characterized. However, not real.
Later that week, I went to a worship service held on a campus. (I won’t say what campus.) There was a worship service, a message, and a closing song. Before the closing song, I saw two college-aged boys behind a mouse scampering through the aisle. The teenage boys were attempting to direct the mouse to the main exit door, but they had no bravery to touch it. I was standing by the exit door by a row of teen girls. The two boys directing the mouse were quite entertaining. The teenage girls were giggling. I actually said something aloud, “Aww how cute.” Then the “adults” intervened. One adult, with a most heinous look, grabbed the mouse and removed it from the premises. I couldn’t read his thoughts, but I think he thought we were a distraction to the holy atmosphere. A couple other older men looked at us with indignation. “Oh holy God forgive these less than holy children for blaspheming your name by pulling their affections away from You and focusing on a mouse.” BLAH! The mouse was funny! The two teenage boys who didn’t want to touch it were even funnier.
I truly apologize if we were a distraction. I am sure the older men had good intentions. I don’t mean to mock their devotion. However, church is not always about creating an atmosphere of glory. We don’t create HOLINESS anyway. God’s presence is the glory. Our reverence is a response to His glory. Our attempts to be refined will look rather foolish. Our efforts to be proper will fail. Especially, when a mouse creeps into our sanctuary without our knowledge. Hahaha. Good joke, Jesus.Church is not our profession; it is our family.
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