Every family has their spats, but no one is left alone.

Good morning everyone!

I would just like to give a little lesson on being a member of a church. Being a member of a church is not like being a member of a golf club. You don't sign up and pay for membership benefits. The benefits of belonging to a church are definitely free. Whether you are a new member, and old member, or even a visitor among the members, your status means nothing, for we are all the same in the eyes of the one who owns the 'club'. Once you become a 'member' you move past that 'club membership' idea into the 'idea' of a family. A family. The church is not the building, and therefore, you do not hold membership to one building or another, you hold membership in one family...one very large family. There are many reasons for joining, and many reasons for separating, but hardly should any of those reasons be for selfish gain. Some may join another family to help them grow and become more connected. Others may go to a place with many people and no families, in order to form families. Some may have been accepted into other families, some are on hiatus, and sometimes (which is the most unfortunate and hateful case), one is thrown out of a family, or the family has ceased to exist (which is also a very sad case). But what one must realize is: We are a family. While people are welcomed into the family, we as a family do not require many things- all things that members may offer should be given as a gift to the one who opened the family for them in the first place. As a cold, hungry, homeless wanderer would be eternally grateful for one who takes them in, cares for them, and provides them with every blessing, carries them through the tough times in life, and encourages them in all times, we give thanks to be a member and do what is needed to make this family grow, succeed, and to help breathe life into the areas that are dying. It is a tragic day when we think we forget that everything we do affects the family at large. When one spends too much money, the others must cut back on their spending in order to accommodate one's wishes. When another claims to have certain rights over another, that automatically puts us against our Father, who has made us all equals. When we threaten our families, and essentially work against them, and the One who brought us together, the family begins to mourn. No one likes to mourn... But as was stated earlier, we are all equals. I would venture to say that each one of us is guilty of having committed an offense against our family, and members of the family. We have all let a swollen pride get in the way of true love and kinship, let our own hurt blind us to the arms reaching out around us, we have all been guilty at some point of slandering the name of another family member... and so one must realize that this family that so many are apart of, is a forgiving family, for we have been in the places that shame us and make us feel separated. We have faith in the One who brought us together, hope for each one of us, and love for everyone, member or not.

Something like that, I suppose...