Confession: I am a hypocrite...

Lately I have been so frustrated with church culture. I've been following the presidential primaries and cringe almost every time I hear the media refer to the "evangelical christian conservatives." I think I'm an Evangelical Christian, in the sense that I follow Jesus and seek to spread His message of salvation, and morally conservative, but the idea of being put into that category sometimes rubs me the wrong way.

Then as I drive down the street I see huge church buildings where people pile into the parking lot and pews each Sunday to drink designer coffee and listen to a sermon that entertains them a bit and sing songs to music lead by people playing expensive instruments, only to leave the building and not notice the people in the world around them...the people that God has called them to love.

Babies are dying all around the world, entire cultures are being wiped out by fighting and disease. This is happening while we sit in committee meetings and decide how much money we should spend on the new carpet, and complain about how people don't give enough money to church.

I get frustrated...

Then I step back and realize that on most days I am just the same...the person I'm really frustrated with is myself. I am the person who walks into my middle class/white american congregation, sit through worship and walk my way through the rest of my week trying to meet deadlines, stick to schedule, and not go crazy. Most times the weeks slip by without me having any regard for my neighbor. Not only am I a sinner who forgets what God has called her to, but I'm a hypocrite...

I guess that's why I'm thankful for the season of Lent. I am reminded of my sin daily and during this time I reflect on that sinfulness and I look forward to Christ's death and resurrection. I remember that Jesus came because of my sin and hypocrisy and his blood washes over me and makes me whole...I remember that God has claimed me as his child...He takes my sin and hypocrisy and changes them into something beautiful and lovely. I am new.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, as I journey through Lent, I'm going to try to judge less, and follow Christ more.