Being right, or concern for others? -

Are these even the only two options that we have? Some would argue that. For the sake of argument, I’m going to say no, these aren’t the only two options.

I think there’s a whole range of options. Maybe a spectrum that we all fall on.

I know that sometimes we are more concerned with being right about something. Maybe it’s about religion, or politics, or something related to a job, or money, or something more mundane — like which way the toilet paper roll goes. People have left church over really stupid things — yes, stupid things, like the color of the carpet. At least it seems stupid to an outside observer. Of course the argument was never really over the color of the carpet, was it? No, not really. It was most likely about something else entirely, completely unrelated to carpet color. Old grudges that were never resolved. Or maybe control and power issues and fights. How funny that we fight about who is in control in our churches when we turn around and claim that to worship Jesus and say that we’re not in control.

Yes, sometimes our greatest concern is being right! I hear it on the radio. Everyone once in a while I’ll turn on talk radio just to see what is being preached at people for three hours a day, five days a week. The folks on the radio are pretty good preachers after all — none of their congregants complain that their sermons are too long (as much as I can tell). And no one seems to complain about the asking for money either — it happens throughout the three-hour long service each day…