Sometimes ignorance is bliss…
I never agree with that statement more than when I sit in church. It’s no secret to those I’m closest to (and hopefully even those I’m not as close to) that my faith is important to me. I grew up in church, and I saw the good, bad and ugly. I know the church is filled with people and people aren’t perfect thus the church isn’t perfect. I was ok with that, seeing as I am one of those imperfect people. I was one of those who nodded my head when pastor’s would preach about complainers in the church, standing in the way of “God’s Will” and hindering others from coming to Christ.
But as motherhood has done so many times before, it opened my eyes to things I had never even thought about before. What do I want to teach my children? Who is this Jesus that I am introducing them to, earnestly praying they fall in love with, just as I have? How do I want them to treat others? In what kind of “church” do I want them, us, to be involved?
And this is where I am now…. Answering these questions and finding out that with every answer comes ten new questions.
But there are a few answers I want to share, and I hope they will encourage others who may feel stuck in the same place I’ve been in for quite some time.
1. Following Christ is the easiest yet the hardest thing to do. Jesus summed it up so simply, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s it. Love. But man is that hard. We will spend our entire life trying to love like Christ… Showing kindness, patience, self-control, gentleness and humbleness. But I want them to know that if they are ever wondering if they are doing what’s right all they have to do is ask themselves, “Am I loving God? Am I loving others?”
2. Questioning someone, anyone, is not ungodly. I will actually encourage it! Teachers, pastors, friends, family…. They are not perfect. Some are misinformed, some misinterpret, and some are downright malicious. Disrespectful behavior is never appropriate, but blindly following anyone and everyone that calls themselves a believer is not a good idea. Your faith will not be made stronger for it. And in my experience, it will usually be weakened. Sometimes these people are easy to spot, and other times they’re not. But you won’t be able to tell the difference if you yourself are not seeking God and studying His Word.
3. You don’t need to spend $19.99 to “find God’s truths”. And I actually think you’ll find just the opposite most of the time. Anyone who tells you they have a special word from God but you’ll need to pay to hear it… Just Say No. I don’t remember Jesus ever charging a cover for his sermons on the hillsides, and He never charged a fee for any of those miracles He performed. God sent His spirit to guide and direct us. He gave us His word, and He often does place friends, teachers and leaders in our lives to help us in our walk with Him. But they are not the for-profit church gurus we often look to for that emotional mountain-top experience.
4. You WILL find that church and Christ are often at odds. Be prepared for it. And do NOT let it ruin your relationship with Him! I’ve been in churches where politicians were paraded through during election season, churches that actually wouldn’t let us in, churches misusing funds for extravagant frivolous purchases, churches making fun of transgenders, and churches who promoted racism. None of those things are godly. All of those things have left me feeling depressed, helpless and isolated. But in every circumstance I’ve been reminded that my salvation does not come from those churches. My salvation comes from Christ. My relationship with Him has suffered, though, every time I begin to focus on all that I find detestable with many “churches” instead of all that I find beautiful about Christ.
And lastly, I want my kids to know…
5. I don’t know it all. No one does, and no one ever will. We should never become so confident in our own knowledge and wisdom about Him that we stop seeking.

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