So, I had trouble getting up for church Sunday and not feeling great, so we decided to go on Sunday night. I don't remember the last time I have been on a Sunday night. During the service, my son had a disagreement with my daughter and threw a rubic's cube at her. Fortunately, it didn't hit her, but did hit the wall on the side of the sanctuary. A brief thought went through my mind to drag him from the sanctuary, but I didn't cause I knew he would fight me and it would have been even more disruptive. It made me think about all the time the people in Philippi wanted to tell me how to parent my children.
Some people seem to believe that if a kid acts up your to simply whip them into submission. That seems to me in many cases to be simply teaching kids that I am bigger than you and I'm going to force you to do something. How does that teach kids to do right when there isn't the threat of punishment? I remember one church member who was trying to rebuke me because my son Caleb was crawling under my legs one time when I was trying to do the children's message. He wanted to get attention. It was difficult, but I finished the lesson while ignoring his behavior. This church member wanted me to stop the service and whip my child. He remarked that is what his dad did to him. I guess that's why he has turned out as dysfunctional as he is.
Anyway, this service also included a sermon about those who are backsliding and causing trouble in the church. It sounds a lot like what I went through three years ago, with many immature believers in leadership places. The pastor mentioned that sometimes people who call themselves believers will abandon what it says in the Bible to attack each other. The world tells us that might makes right. While Jesus commanded us to have a attitude of a servant and to be willing to wash each others feet.
I don't know if you've ever been in a foot washing ceremony. I have two times. Once I was on the receiving end and the other I did the washing. There is humility involved on both sides. It takes courage to allow someone to wash your feet. It also takes courage and humility to do that. You won't soon yell at or domineer a person whose foot you just had in your hand. You realize your taking the position of a servant of others. That is why Jesus could wash the disciples feet to begin with. All the disciples were too proud to take on that role and the servant in the upper room wasn't present. So, Jesus gave them an example to follow.
