What would it look like to look for truth and beauty in our churches? Whether you are an active member or an orphaned believer, let’s stretch our imaginations! Not ignoring the brokenness but including, as a whole picture, the truth and beauty to be found in imperfect community.
I’ll go first! For me, it would look smaller than we expect. I don’t mean small, as in limited or of little amount, but localized and micro. One person discovers a simple way to serve another person, like a neighbor or local business owner, for example. A small group or Bible study adopts a single mom down the street offering childcare, meals and friendship, kind of small. Small as in the widow’s mite (Luke 21:1-4) and the tax-collector standing in the back of the room (Luke 18:9-14). These small acts of faith were big in Jesus’s eyes and they should be in ours too. Yet the church at times is so focused on the grand and loud that we miss the truth and beauty in our midst.
I’ll go first! For me, it would look smaller than we expect. I don’t mean small, as in limited or of little amount, but localized and micro. One person discovers a simple way to serve another person, like a neighbor or local business owner, for example. A small group or Bible study adopts a single mom down the street offering childcare, meals and friendship, kind of small. Small as in the widow’s mite (Luke 21:1-4) and the tax-collector standing in the back of the room (Luke 18:9-14). These small acts of faith were big in Jesus’s eyes and they should be in ours too. Yet the church at times is so focused on the grand and loud that we miss the truth and beauty in our midst.