Part 3 - Managing Our Relationships Series

Managing Relationships

September 30, 2018

This week I was going to tell you a story which is about a friendship gone hay-wire. It’s bizarre and sad, yet kind of funny. But, I’m going to tell you next Sunday, because I want to tell you a different story . . . one that is also sad, maybe a little bizarre, but is not funny.

As I was working on this message Thursday night, I was thinking more about the Senate Judiciary Committee meetings which went on all day! Admittedly, I didn’t watch a lot of what was going on. I did watch some at home, and some clips later on the Internet.

What I saw was so appalling! I really think it’s possible both people are telling the truth. Sometimes, it’s really hard to know what’s true anymore. I really sympathize with what happened to her. I believe something did happen. I’m just not sure who did what.

The line of questioning was pathetic, the comments, the innuendos, the slander, the anger and malice . . . you could feel it in Alexandria! This was all about politics and if someone’s life and reputation could be destroyed in the process, it seemed that nobody really cared. That’s how it seemed to me.

Please understand, I am not AND I repeat, I am not trivializing any of this. People’s lives and reputations have been ruined and smeared . . . Kavanaugh’s and Ford’s. This is not the forum to discuss my politics nor my feelings, but I think we can all agree, this was embarrassing . . . and we can learn a little from what happened.

We’re in our 3rd week of talking about stewardship. That means “managing our lives in a healthy manner.” Being a good steward, means you’re a good manager. And our focus today is - - - managing relationships! When we look at our government - - nationally, and it extends to local government as well. It’s all about how badly can you kick your opponent. Most opponents don’t have mutual respect for one another. Our country has become so polarized, so disconnected and disunified that we can’t have civil disagreements. Certainly you don’t attempt to do that on social media.

My point in my opening rant is that we’ve moved away from the joy of healthy relationships. We’ve come to believe it’s acceptable to say whatever you want to whomever you want. You can call people names, you can swear at them, and we believe it is acceptable - - - but it is not!

I believe it’s the role of the church to put order in our country. It starts in our little corner of the world . . . in Alexandria and Summitville and Elwood and Anderson and Yorktown and Eaton and wherever I’ve left out.

If we don’t learn how to love one another, if we don’t learn how to disagree with one another, we will be no better than our brothers and sisters who we shook our heads at when watching those hearings the other day.

Let me tell you one last thing . . . the church I served prior to coming here was totally toxic. They acted like that senate hearing. They truly believed they could yell and one another in business meetings and tell each other off, then they thought they could go out for a meal.

No way! I’m not going out with anyone after they’ve ripped into me. We had to have rules at business meetings. We eventually called meetings Town Hall meetings, where there was no voting and rules of conduct were posted. It was crazy, ridiculous. That church was toxic long before we went there, and they stayed that way after we left.

Sadly, it took 4 years for them to get a new pastor after we left, and 2 years after that, they closed their doors for good. Closing a once great and vital church. That’s what happens when the church cannot manage relationships. Yet, the church should be the driving force in the world. We should be the leaders in showing people how to live and how to relate to one another. Even when we don’t agree with one another.

Can you imagine some of these folks going to worship together on Sunday? Can you imagine what it would be like to worship next to someone you totally distrust in the business world? That’s not healthy! It creates dis-ease!

The call in the church is to follow what Jesus said ~

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. – John 13:34

We’ve heard to love one another. It’s not new, yet, here Jesus is telling the disciples and us that He has a NEW commandment for us. So, what’s He talking about? What makes this new?