by Joanne Beckley<\/p>\n
Thinking back on Sunday, worshiping at Tshiredzheni (South Africa), I couldn’t help but reflect on the trend I see in our increasingly desired larger congregations in America, with their well-dressed worshippers in their beautiful buildings — and making comparisons . . . Here I was sitting in a building, being built little by little as money becomes available, (three years so far). The roof is finally on, but no windowpanes yet and the dirt floor is awaiting cement. Backless benches had been wiped off with sweaty palms and were standing on the uneven ground, while the dust was floating in the air as everyone arrived and found seating.<\/p>\n
But what caused my thoughts to turn toward my original comment was the arrival of a barefoot woman who sat down beside me. Her clothing smelled of her cooking fire and it wasn’t long before I began to notice fleas were trying to find a home on me. When the singing began, she was given a songbook which she held upside down while she sang.<\/p>\n
So, here’s my question — how many of us could offer a venue that would encourage this poor woman to attend, be willing to sit beside her, or help her “read” from her songbook? I have long been fearful of our American snobbery toward the poor, albeit, unintentional and unaware — or is it? Yes, we like the comforts that a nice building brings, the ease of being able to worship and teach, the evermore colorful bulletin boards, and even the security that “belonging” to a large well-heeled group provides.<\/p>\n
Even those we choose to reach with the gospel must be able to offer us a certain level of ability to “belong.” But I fear we are missing the whole point as Jesus said, “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick” <\/em>(Matthew 9:12). I’m asking myself, am I possibly unaware of wrongfully thinking I am “whole”? For you see, I am still <\/b>having a problem because those fleas found a home.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Joanne Beckley Thinking back on Sunday, worshiping at Tshiredzheni (South Africa), I couldn’t help but reflect on the trend I see in our increasingly desired larger congregations in America, with their well-dressed worshippers in their beautiful buildings — and making comparisons . . . Here I was sitting in a building, being built little…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[713,676,215,451],"class_list":["post-59980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-judging-others","tag-poor","tag-prejudice","tag-teaching"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":62662,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-twisted-thinking-of-abortion\/","url_meta":{"origin":59980,"position":0},"title":"The Twisted Thinking of Abortion","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 14, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dennis Abernathy The thinking of many in our society is truly twisted. Consider the case where two little boys, who were reported kidnapped in South Carolina. Actually, the mother of those little boys confessed to murdering them. She was involved with a man who wanted her company, but not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10915,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-a-woman-still-a-virgin-if-a-mans-penis-only-goes-in-a-little-way\/","url_meta":{"origin":59980,"position":1},"title":"Is a woman still a virgin if a man’s penis only goes in a little way?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 2, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is one still a virgin if a man's\u00a0penis head\u00a0slips in the entrance of a woman's genitals\u00a0but not all the way? My friend thinks a girl is still one, but I would like to be sure. Thanks for your time. 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Could you tell me where to start to let her see the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":60023,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-define-laziness\/","url_meta":{"origin":59980,"position":3},"title":"Can you define laziness?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi Jeff, Please can you explain laziness? When can we say someone is lazy when the person is not working and he desires not to work or is it someone who is working one job and is contented with that with no desire to do another? Thanks, sir. Answer:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18549,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-jael-give-sisera-milk-and-not-water-as-he-requested\/","url_meta":{"origin":59980,"position":4},"title":"Why did Jael give Sisera milk and not water as he requested?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why did Jael give Sisera milk and not water as he requested? Answer: \"However, Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 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