Christianity is a touchy subject, but being a Christian, I can talk freely and openly about it and what bothers me when it comes to people who think that they are much more. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that life stops or you have to live in a box, but there are some people to think such nonsense. In my opinion, there are people who go to church for two reasons: 1) to listen, learn and receive the word of God, live right, and 2) to be seen, to judge, criticize, and look down on people who are trying to do better in their lives. But there are people who supersede these two kinds of people called “church folk”. These are the people who think that just because others don’t have a certain type of job, drive a certain type of vehicle, dress a certain way, or is on a first name basis with the Pastor and First Lady that we are beneath them and are going straight to hell. We all know people who fit this particular category. They only use the word of God when it’s to justify something they are doing, even if it is wrong. These are the same people who have reserved seating in the church, arrive late on purpose because they know they won’t have to stand up like we would, not even say “hello” when entering the church and ultimately think that they are better than anyone else. These types of people like to boast about how much tithes/offering they put into the collection plate, in fact, they walk their envelope to the front of the church themselves. What is my ten or twenty dollars, even five, not enough in the eyes of God? Depending of the church and/or Pastor, “church folk” can even dictate and chose the sermons the preacher should preach about. For those of you who don’t think this sort of thing is true well sorry to tell you that it does. Very much so! This type of behavior goes on and has been going on for ages, and the sad part about it is that the ones guilty of such, don’t even realize it or could care less. As long as they think they have it all together, they believe that there spot in the kingdom is “reserved”.
A friend of mine and I were having lunch the other day and this topic came up briefly. She told me that growing up another friend’s mother, who just so happens to be a “First Lady” told her that, “God don’t hear prayers from a sinner, so she was wasting her breath praying”. I’m glad that she didn’t buy into this nonsense or even give it a second thought. Who would tell someone something so wrong and discouraging? “Church folk” that’s who. If sinners cannot pray for help, guidance and deliverance, how will we be saved? I say we because we all sin and fall short each and every day we live. I know that God isn’t pleased with the way some of his people are treating and acting towards others. Just look at all the men and women of the cloth who are being exposed. I won’t go into detail about it, but you know the stories, see and hear about them on the news and in the newspapers. So, now that they have fallen due to temptation on the flesh, will God not hear their prayers or does that only pertain to you and me?
You know what bothers me the most? It’s those same “church folk” who turn their noses up at someone who is genuinely trying to serve and please God. It’s those same people who go out, get drunk, do drugs, have sex outside of marriage, commit adultery, curse someone out for cutting them off in traffic, who then on Sunday and Wednesday, sing on the praise team, serve on the Usher board, who is a Deacon or Missionary, ministering to others. Now there is no greater sin than another. A sin is a sin is a sin! Don’t be hypocrites! No one is perfect. The only perfect person to walk this earth, died for our sins so that we could have everlasting life in the kingdom of Heaven. It’s not right to treat someone like an outcast just because they are not in the same tax bracket as you. It’s not right to look down on someone who go to the front of the church for prayer when the preacher does an alter call. Go hold their hand. Give them a shoulder to lean on. Lend a listening ear, so that they will know that they are not alone. Many people refuse to attend church for these various reasons. Think about it, if you cannot go into the one place you should be able to and feel accepted, welcomed and encouraged, then why bother? Where can you go?
It’s really time to stop judging others and get ourselves together. “He who is without sin cast the first stone!” No one is without sin. No, we don’t go looking for it or intentionally do it, but sin is around us every day, all day. You may eat too much, envy what someone else has, lust after a nice looking man/woman, those are all considered sin. “Church Folk” will talk about you amongst each other; even go to the Pastor about something they don’t even know about, concerning you. The bible states that if you take offense to something/someone, go to that person and try to work it out. No, for “church folk” that just won’t do! They love drama, disorderly conduct and seeing someone who is trying their best to live according to the word of God being looked at as someone who is not. Now as long as you are feeding them with your business, gossip about the next person, or kissing their asses, yes I said it, they will be your best friend. You may even get to seat in the assigned section at the front of the church until you do something to piss them off.
Take a single mother for instance. They welcome her with open arms at first until she isn’t willing to tell all of her business to them. When she doesn’t cooperate by telling her personal business, they go straight after the children. She is then looked at as a slut, whore, tramp, or any other statistic they can categorize her into. Who cares that she was married, cheated on, abused and lost everything just to protect her children? Who cares that she is now getting back on her feet and seeking the church for her restoration? “Church Folk” only see and hear what they want to. Instead of helping, they only add fuel to the fire. And when the single mother gets tired of the stares, whispering and decides it’s time to move on, they feel as if they were right all along and that she didn’t have a place in their church anyway. They feel as if all the things they assumed about her, or words twisted from questioning her children, that their prejudgment of her was true.
What about the single Pastor of the church, who is teaching, preaching, living and respecting the word of God? As soon as a single woman of his flock needs counseling, he is sleeping with her. If he is not interested in her, she slaughters his name because of rejection. When the woman he wants to be with comes along, she becomes the target of hatred among the other women who wanted to be the one. It’s sad, but true! The same “church folk” who praised him, cooked for him, paid his bills, and made sure that the building fund was over its goal quickly becomes the enemy. He is then looked at as a sinner, sleeping with all the women in the church. He becomes all about money, and soon the members start dropping like pigeon poop. You are probably shaking your head at this very moment because either you know someone who has gone through this or you are one of the people who played a part in something like this happening.
Recently, I attended a conference at a church that I have been visiting on and off for about a few years now. I love the word received there and the praise and worship is inspiring. The leader and his wife seem to be great doers and followers of the word of God. How many of you have stopped attending a certain church because the members were so rude? Well, I have! The members, well not all but most are just unfriendly and mean. I know that we shouldn’t allow anyone to dictate where we attend to worship, but it’s hard to receive the word if you getting stares from the same usher that turned her nose up at you when you only gave her a friendly smile or because you stood up singing along with the praise team, feeling the presence of God wash over you. Sadly, it happens!
We couldn’t even get up to go the restroom without being questioned or told that our seats may be taken if we were gone too long. (Who does that?)Now throughout the church there were several sections of empty seats. No one was allowed to sit in those seats. If anyone sat there, they were asked, sometimes rudely to get up. They were being RESERVED for the people of their choice. I was asked to hold my three year son, which I didn’t mind, so make room for an elderly woman. But, is it fair that people who come to church on time be punished by standing up, when there is reserved seating for people who don’t come to church until the pastor gets up to speak? I listened to the women seating behind me talk about how ridiculous it was and how badly they were treated the night before. This type of behavior will discourage visitors from coming back. Ya’ll, I literary saw late comers being walked down the front aisles, to a roped off section like it was a concert and they paid full price for their tickets. Has the house of God become this superficial?
I don’t know what will happen, but I do know that God is not pleased with all the heartless things taking place in the church. I almost didn’t write this post in fear that someone would be offended by it, but you know what? So be it! If they are participating in this type of behavior, they should be offended. We were all created in the image of God; therefore, we are all equal in his eyes. Just because we don’t know or hang in the same circles, it doesn’t mean that we are less than one another. Don’t become labeled as “church folk”. If you see someone struggling, help them as best you know how. Pray for them, pray with them. Don’t put down on others because you have been blessed and are too stupid to know that you have been. Just like you drive a luxury car, live in a big house and can afford to eat out every day, it can all be wiped away in a matter of seconds. If you see something going on that isn’t pleasing in the eyes of God, politely go to whoever it is and talk with them not to them or down on them. They may not even be aware of their behavior. You will be surprised at how people accept something coming from you by the way you approach them. We all need to walk in love, not stupidity because there is definitely a difference. God didn’t say to let others trampled all over you. Show compassion and love toward each other in a respectable way. Stop hating and backbiting, judging, ridiculing, thinking that you are better than the next person. Trust me! You will eventually reap what you sow, so why not reap the best! Don’t allow “church folk” to cause you to turn away from God. Pray for them and keep living according to the word of God. Remember that God sees and knows all things! They are only keeping themselves further from the kingdom by displaying this type of behavior, only they don’t know it yet. The battle isn’t yours anyway, don’t try to fight it. There will be more “church folk” than a little bit in hell eating bar-b-que with the devil. Don’t become one of them! Until next time, be inspired, be encouraged and be a better YOU!!!
Smooches,
Keke Chanel
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