Is this a season of omission for the church?

A common complaint about the church from many of its members is that leaders keep congregants too busy in an endless parade of programs, not allowing enough time for the things that are most important.

When we look at the church, we see some wonderfully beautiful things, as well as some horrendous problems. My observation of the church over several years has pointed to one thing that is glaringly obvious above all others — that the demonstration of the love of Christ seems to either be missing or woefully anemic.

We may be very busy as Christians doing “church stuff,” but we’re also missing what is critical about following Jesus as His disciples. It’s as if there’s a “season of omission” in the modern church. Ron Henson illustrates this problem with the following story …

Every year between 60,000 and 200,000 people will die from a medical condition known as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Usually the DVT occurs in a person’s legs where blood has pooled, allowing a blood clot to form. Once formed, the danger is that the clot might circulate to the lungs or brain where it can cause respiratory failure or a stroke.

The tragic thing about DVT’s is that they are not caused by irresponsible behavior, but by simply being inactive. Simply sitting or laying down too long is all it takes for one of these clots to form.

There are sins of commission and then there are sins of omission. When we blatantly do those things that God forbids, we expect that there might be serious consequences. But, because sins of omission are so subtle, we tend to think of them as more benign. Nevertheless, sometimes it’s the person who lays around and does nothing who faces the gravest danger.

There is nothing benign about not caring, or failing to demonstrate real love. Jesus said the following to a church that modeled such lukewarmness …

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,” Revelation 3:15-17.

Just having all you need doesn’t make you rich when you don’t care about the needs of others. It makes you “…wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”

Have you omitted caring about others as a central part of your following in the footsteps of Jesus? Or do you care like Jesus cares? Do you demonstrate the love of Christ through action? Or would others describe your Christian example as lukewarm at best?

Scotty