I'm Just Sayin'

William Shakespeare once penned, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances..." 

To with, Rick L. Larstan, PhD, rebuffed, "...and some of these players should take the first stage leaving town."

Drama (sigh) - it's the proverbial traffic accident looming aside the roadway, begging you to take a gander, and (in some cases) your foot off the brake. 

Drama - that idiomatic expression which lends itself to pop culture references such as "drama queen", "save the drama for your momma" and (my favorite misnomer) "unscripted reality television".

 

Ever notice... How everyone else's luggage is just "drama" and when it happens to you or I it's a full-blown "crisis" - even though it could be the exact... same... thing? I'm just sayin'.

The loudest mourner at funerals (typically) isn't a family member (e.g. one defined as being related via blood and/or marriage) - it's usually the person who's spent the least amount of time with the deceased? I'm just sayin'.

At any gathering, the one telling the joke thinks it's the funniest thing YOU have ever heard - and subsequently laughs at their own joke - I figure that if it was THAT funny, they wouldn't have been able to tell it - for laughing so hard - in the first place? I'm just sayin'. 

That as you happen upon someone you haven't seen in ages - one whom you had thought you had inadvertently committed some unspeakable (heinous) act towards - that our typical response to them is "So, how are you doing?" instead of "Where have you been?!" - which is REALLY what we want to say? I'm just sayin'.

When folks bad-mouth a business it's usually done so with such vim and vile that you would've thought they nailed 'em to a cross during their 6.5 minute wait for coffee - but, like so many others will let a barrista go above-and-beyond the "call of duty", and think that the higher level of courtesy is something they were innately entitled to? I'm just sayin'. 

How quickly folks will appear to empathize with you and then (usually) say "Oh, I'll pray for you", when precious few actually do so then-and-there? I'm just sayin'.

That there is an inverse relationship between the high amount of heat needed to cook your food and the low pain threshold you possess at the instant you grab the food item without an oven mit? I'm just sayin'.

To close, in closing, and (in other words) ending this train of thought - you might liken this paragraph to the proverbial caboose, then - whether we are subjected to, choose to participate in, or are (actively) trying to ignore DRAMA... there will always be DRAMA to deal with, while we strut upon this stage. I'm just sayin'. MMLIA.

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Ruh-roe, Raggy! Sleuthing like Scooby-Doo we traipse down the proverbial lane for a snapshot (if you will) of a typical trap surrounding the burnt-out Christian or church attendee... finding the perfect church (at least, down "here").

Did you know - categorically speaking - there are only four types of churches? Yep, yep, yep! Only four - and it's up to those of us who purport to be of and in the Body of Christ - whether, or not, that is proven to be true by the litmus of scripture - to ferret all that out.

The game's afoot, Watson! Let us examine the suspect church types... there are churches, where in we see:

 
Those Without GOD's Love or Righteousness
Per scripture, this church would (most) resemble: Church at Laodicea (Rev.3.15)
In modern times, this doctrine may be found in: any church over-emphasizing any spiritual gift (or singular member of the Trinity) to the exclusion of any other gift (or God-head member).
Typical pastor would resemble: preacher/astronaut on Space Cowboys, priest in the book Moby Dick


Those With GOD's Love But Lacked His Righteousness
Per scripture, this church would (most) resemble: Church at Thyatira (Rev.2.20)
In modern times, this doctrine may be found in: progressive Catholic churches - as well as most churches choosing to describe itself as "non-evangelical"
Typical pastor would resemble: Joel Olsteen, Rodney King


Those Without GOD's Love But Used His Righteousness
Per scripture, this church would (most) resemble: Church at Ephesus (Rev.2.4-5)
In modern times, this doctrine may be found in: Westboro Baptist Church, Topeka, KS
Typical pastor would resemble: scary pastor off Poltergeist


Those With GOD's Love and Righteousness
Per scripture, this church would (most) resemble: Church at Philadelphia (Rev.3.8)
In modern times, this doctrine may be found in: very, very few churches - typically, small start-up and home churches
Typical pastor would resemble: (sorry, not gonna play favorites - let's keep 'em humble)


Now, as succinct as this particular post may be - I am not suggesting that the typical 21st Century American Church-goer dump their individual responsibility and capacity for thought and go run willy-nilly down the primrose path towards any particular church-type or pastor (elder)... but consider the following in light of your own thirst and hunger...

"Do you know who taught the eagles to find their prey? Well, that same God teaches His hungry children to find their Father in His Word." ~ William Tyndale

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." ~ 2Tim.2.15.esv

MMLIA