Theme of the Week: Why Church?
Bible Verse: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
Scripture Reading: Galatians 2:11-21
I used to play basketball in high school. I played for hours in my yard before tryouts. In the yard, I was invincible. I was a foot taller. I can’t tell you the number of times I won the championship against Michael Jordan by sinking a foul shot with no seconds left on the clock.
Something changed though when I started playing basketball on the team. It didn’t take long to realize that I wasn’t as good as I thought I was. Others were faster, smarter, and had a better shot than me. I had habits and tendencies that needed to be changed; they didn’t make for good team play. It was humbling, but I learned and grew. I became a better basketball player because I played with a team.
The same is true with community. When I am by myself, I am one of the best people I know. I’m smart, I’m patient, I’m funny. But when I get into community, specifically the church, I find out that I’m not as wonderful as I thought. I have a lot of rough edges that need to be smoothed or sanded off.
Church community is meant to benefit us in the largest sense. It is for our good, not necessarily our happiness. Even Peter was confronted by Paul on how he was living his life substandard to the way of Christ. Peter needed Paul to call him out on his behavior so that he could grow and become more like Jesus.
I need that. You need that, too.
You need to have Christian brothers around you to call you to who you were meant to be, to confront your sin and errant thinking, and to spur you on to love and good deeds.
Prayer: Father, it’s no surprise that I have areas I need to continue to grow to be more like you. Thank you that I don’t have to do that on my own, even though I may prefer to. Thank you that others are there to help me. Help me to let others sharpen me and me to sharpen others.
Reflection: What rough edges do you need smoothed? Who can help you? Are you willing to ask?
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