World renowned evangelist Billy Graham once stated that what surprised him most about this life is the brevity of it. I talked with a man on the plane the other night about this subject and told him how that statement resonates with me. I mean it seems as though just yesterday I was young and virulent and now I’m so old that I remember when the Dead Sea was merely sick, (long before it died).
Well maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but sometimes I feel that way.
This man seemed very intelligent and articulate and I enjoyed talking to him for our entire trip from Atlanta to Tallahassee. He was very successful and had reached the pinnacle of his career. I told him about my prison ministry trip and then he asked me where I went to church. I responded and he told me that he no longer attended church because he didn’t like some of the people in it. He then went on to explain how there were hypocrites in the churches that he attended, and others who were there for no other purpose than “to see and be seen”, and some other similar stuff. He said he preferred to worship God at home with his wife.
I told him that he was undoubtedly smart and a capable leader and that churches needed smart and capable leaders, so instead of refusing to go to church because it was imperfect, perhaps he should attend and work to refine it. I mentioned that hypocrites should be in church where they might can get some spiritual help, instead of staying away. Perhaps he could influence them in a positive manner.
I related to him that I’d read about the refining process of silver and how life reminded me of it. The raw ore is placed in flames and allowed to get hot enough to burn away the impurities. The mission is accomplished when one can see their image in the refined silver. Likewise we are refined when we can see the image of God in our lives. We have to experience the fire in order to achieve it though.
Just as raw silver ore needs a silversmith the church needs intelligent leaders that yearn for purity in our places of worship. Staying away because a church contains a few impurities seems like an odd way to serve God to me. Sure he can worship God privately with his family, but what a waste of valuable resources for him to withhold his intelligence and good given skills to help grow the church. I told him that approach seemed rather selfish to me.
Alas too many people do not want to enter the fire for fear of getting burned. I get nasty letters all of the time for speaking out in this column, but it doesn’t deter me. I answer to God and not to the men or women of this age. I consider most of their criticisms to be idiotic anyway.
As you can surmise I still don’t clearly see the image of God in my life, but I’m in the fire. I suggest that you come on in the fire too – It’s cozy in here. Everyone has an opportunity to further the message of hope of Jesus Christ. If you are not doing so, then you should begin, because life passes quickly and this is a one time opportunity. Think about it…Selah.
Psalms 66:10
For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.