SHOES WITH ATTITUDE

Which of the following best describes your situation:

• I’m the first person in my family to serve in ministry
• Ministry is part of my family’s heritage
• My family was involved in the lay aspect of church
• Church was never a part of my childhood background

A woman’s church background often impacts her overall attitude toward the call to serve as a ministry wife.  Many of us grew up in churches with traditions emphasized to the point that they seemed to be scriptural mandates rather than just local customs of a particular church.

Some of us might struggle with the thought of wearing jeans on Sunday morning.  Certainly no Bible verse speaks against denim in the house of God.  But at many churches that we grew up in dresses belonged in church on Sunday morning. 

We need to recognize that times and fashions change, and what works in one geographic locale may not float in the next!  This means that unless an idea is scripturally mandated – like participation in the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 or baptism (Matthew 28:19) then we need to ask ourselves, ‘would letting go of this tradition help me reach more people with the gospel?’

Paul tells us of  his willingness to lay aside some pretty strong beliefs and traditions to reach lost people in 1 Corinthians 9:22.  And I think that Paul was dealing with bigger cultural strongholds than jeans, dresses, makeup or the appropriateness of pantsuits!

Now traditions in our past church experiences certainly can influence us positively.  Without a doubt, growing up in a church is wonderful; and the fellowships where we first learned biblical truths may help us develop a love for evangelism or foster a strong desire to help those less fortunate.  In many cases our early experiences in church lay the foundation of our relationships with Christ.  Unfortunately, however, some personal church experiences do leave people dealing with subtle unspoken messages that can trip them as they strive to grow in the Lord. 

For example, perhaps you grew up in a church that used a person’s decision to go forward to the altar as fuel for its gossip chain.  Perhaps your church’s leadership was notorious for sweeping any major mistakes under the rug of pride instead of dealing with them in an open, biblical fashion.  You may even struggle with hard feelings toward church because your particular congregation took an unbiblical approach toward a pregnant teen or even encouraged an adulterous relationship between its members.

Each of us will be influenced by our past, but God gives us the option of deciding whether to let the past make us bitter or to find blessings in spite of it.  Don’t misunderstand; life hurts, lacks fairness, and sometimes deals harsh blows.  You may have dealt with abuse, adultery, desertion, cancer, death, disillusionment, or any other major trauma.  But none of it has to define your life with Christ.  Not to downplay your hurt, but please understand that life’s negatives don’t have the right to steal and fill you with bitterness.

So how do we deal with bitterness?  What can we do to walk free of its pull?  In Philippians 3:15 Paul encourages us to press on toward the goal of becoming more mature in our attitudes toward Christ.  That type of maturity leads people to intentionally choose blessings over bitterness.

Has your early church experiences helped you today in your ministry?  And how do you protect your spiritual life against bitterness?

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