I heard a professor share recently that people who struggle with shame know that God “loves” them but experientially feel as though God doesn’t “like” them. That same sentiment is often expressed in the church (albeit masked as a joke) as “I love you in Christ, but that doesn’t mean I have to like you” (or for that matter, be friends with you).
So what does it mean to be part of a Christian community? What are our obligations to and expectations of our fellow Cross church members? Or to be more direct – is there an obligation to not just “love” but also “like” our fellow church members? OR is that an unrealistic and unhealthy expectation?
What do you think?
makes me think of some family members I have: they're family, by blood, but do i love them? Do I even like them? Heck, we hardly talk or even see each other to really know anything about each other.
ReplyDeleteBy coming to church Sunday, we have made the conscious decision to want acceptance from God. If we do not love & like our fellow church members, do we even know God yet?
IMO, being part of a Christian community should mean that I like and care for others in the church, young or old, single or married. Their pains are my pains and their joys are my joys. And together as a loving group we extend Gods love to others beyond our church members.