Cutting through the noise and the pain

When looking at the current state of America and our extreme fall from the goals and standards set by our fore fathers, it is evident that as a Church we have failed to cut through the noise and the pain of the world to reveal the truth of God. It is not that we have not been speaking. It's not that we have not been calling out the truth. It is simply that the tools we have employed are not cutting the noise or getting through the pain.

People are searching for relevance; they are seeking for purpose and fulfillment. But with so much noise and distractions, with in so much pure volume, the truth is lost. It is our job to cut through the noise and the pain to make our voice heard. It is our job to find God's solution to this problem. I believe the answer, God's solution, is to be warm.

In a world that is known for being cold and lonely, people seek warmth in any form. Sex is a form of warmth since it in some way imitates love. Alcohol is abundant since it removes part of the armor holding us back from conversation; it too in some ways imitates intimacy. People jump from one relationship to another seeking warmth even if it is only temporary. What we need to cut the noise and pain is warmth: true caring, true relationships, true friendships, dependable marriages, heartfelt conversations, respect that survives mistakes, love that surpasses problems.

Matthew 5:38-42 directs us to set aside our focus on self defense and risk letting people in. We need to trust God to watch over us and place our efforts on forgiving and caring. When we place our efforts on demonstrating the grace and love of God I believe that the resultant warmth will cut through the noise and pain. As the noise is pierced, then people will hear the truth and let our Lord heal their pain. As the Church, the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are called to be different, separate, and unique. Until we are, we too will be just part of the noise.