"To know Jesus and make Him known"
It's great to see the excitment on the faces of the youth and children who show up for V.B.S. It's great to see them excited about church and Jesus. To see them enjoying old and new relationships.
A guy drove his car 100,000 miles without changing the oil. The engine siezed up. Friction destroyed it!
Relationships are like that. As we go through life we have interactions with one another, we give and take. All this interaction can produce friction. Not the friction not of physical movement but emotional friction and sometimes we get rubbed the wrong way. Feelings get hurt. Emotions overheated. Egos get scared. Words are sparking. Friction can build to a point to where two individuals no longer are functioning properly. Left unchecked that friction and --the accompinang heat can begin to spread. What was friction between two people now becomes heat that effects others around them. Such was the case at Philippi. Two members in the church were in a quarrel and it was spreading to the entire church. Paul urged them to "live in harmonyin the Lord." (Philippians 4:2). Regular maintance and lubication are critical in relationships as to engines.
The lubication of relationships is grace and forgivness. That's why the Bible exhorts us "to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Col. 3:12). What does that look like? Dr Charles Lawless of the Lawless Group says; "church members who are angry or bitter must pray for God's grace and forgiveness. Even when concerns are ligitimate, belivers have no bibical right to hang on to bitterness or anger. Older members who do not like to change to reach a younger generation should think beyond their own desires, and younger church members who want immedate change should reconise the value of the older believers. Division is always the enemies goal."
Friction always leads to division if left unchecked. Living in harmony is not easy-there is friction. Proper lubication insures long term effectiveness in ministry and joy during the journey.
Enjoy the refreshing of renewed relationships.
Because of Him,
Bro. Steve