How many of you remember this tasteless but hilarious skit from SNL (That’s Saturday Night Live, for the 3 people who didn’t know)?
Harry was a young yuppie type who sustained a massive head would somehow–no one ever reveals how on the show–and yet, carries on like nothing is amiss. But it’s difficult (read: impossible) not to stare at this massive open and still gushing wound as Harry attends parties and business meetings and so forth. At times the skit gets a little gross, but, for the most part, it’s hysterical simply because it’s so ridiculous. No one could carry on like normal with that kind of wound to the body–it would kill you.
But I got to thinking. A lot of Christians hurt the body of Christ and even themselves at times and then simply carry on as though it’s business as usual.
Let me explain.
Two days ago a friend came to me upset because someone had maligned the church he loves on Facebook–the coward gossip’s paradise. In fact, He said it was a public conversation of how they were upset with such and such a church because they wouldn’t do things the way these people wanted. You know–nothing new there. What was different was that this guy decided to confront one or all of them on Facebook and didn’t know if he’d done the right thing. That’s what he wanted to ask me.
That’s a good question. When is it right to confront and when should you just let it go?
To determine, I asked if they were people he knew well. ‘Yes’ he said.
“Were they ever active at your church?” I followed up.
“Well, sort of,” he said.
“Sort of? They either were or they weren’t. Right?”
Let me cut to the chase. He said that in some ways they seemed to be. They were in small groups, always vocal at meetings. Gave constant input about how things should be or would be if they were in charge. Seemed to know a lot of people. On the other hand, they never seemed in favor of tithing–ever ready with a host of reasons why they never would or could and often complained that it wasn’t necessary anyway–they weren’t under law–they were under grace (BTW – If you use this lame argument you need to hear what God really says about stewardship. Listen to THIS series for help on the topic), never brought lost people to church (or very rarely) over the years, etc.
His conclusion? He said, “it’s confusing.”
“Not really,” I assured him. “Some of those things you listed can be just, playing church–others are about real life change. And it’s not that difficult to tell which type of person you’re dealing with.”
Here’s what I mean…
Some “Christians” are more like Head Would Harry. Only the wound is given to the body of Christ rather than to Harry. These types inflict damage upon the body of Christ in the name of Christ and usually do not even realize they are doing it. In fact, they may very well feel pretty good about themselves after each would inflicted.
Others are like blood donors–always infusing the life giving blood back into the body of Christ through love, grace, and mercy. These use their words, gifts and finances to build up the body of Christ rather then wound it.
It’s the difference between a siphon and an aqueduct. An energizer or a drainer. Being spiritually alive or dead.
His experience got me thinking about how I sometimes see this at Southbrook.
Sometimes I will hear people drone on and on about why they never give back to God. It’s almost as though they are trying to convince themselves rather than me. That’s good, because God made this one crystal clear so they have no prayer of winning me over to their nonsense on this one. I’ve heard it all, “We can’t afford it. There’s nothing left over at the end of the month (why are you offering God leftovers in the first place?). Inevitably, those people have no problem enjoying all the church has for them but never give back–siphons.
But then I will hear about these same folks having people over for elaborate dinners, going to restaurants a couple times a week or taking vacations with people in order to share their woes about church and convince otherwise happy campers to turn sad like them.
Where’d all that cash come from? Wouldn’t that be better served in missions or in the building up of the church rather than tearing down? Rather then wounding the body of Christ?
Hey, how do you know if you are Head Wound Harry verses a life giving encourager to Jesus and His Bride?
- Do you ever complain about not getting into reading the Bible? Don’t have time. Find it boring, etc. However, when you are scouring its pages for ammo–verses you can take out of context to hurt others– you can’t get enough of it? You might be HWH (Head Wound Harry)
- Instead of praying ACTS type prayers (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication) are your prayers something like this, “God, I want you to rain down your wrath on all of those who disagree with me! Lord, please judge the leaders of such and such church–ruin them! Oh, and bless me tenfold in all I do…in Jesus name.” (that sounds very HWH to me).
- Do you spend your time talents and treasures tearing down or building up? HWH. Case closed.
Don’t be Head Wound Harry. He may not have noticed each week on the SNL skits–but no one really wanted him around. He was a downer whether he realized it or not.
Hey friends, this weekend begins a series on relationships–specifically married ones. How can we learn to better relate to the opposite sex? We all need to understand what God’s Word has to say about this stuff and we need to hear how we can build marriages up rather than tear them down. We already know marriages are badly wounded in this country–now, through the love and power of the Holy Spirit and the straight forward truth of God’s Word–let’s fix this!