Please No More Simplistic Sunday Answers

You walk into church and a person greets you with the typical, “how are you doing”? Sometimes I feel like they don’t want to know how I am doing unless I give the patented Sunday morning simplistic answer, “just fine”.  The reason I believe this is the case is because most often I don’t have that patented answer, some days even on Sundays I am not fine at all. I recently replied to that question with, I am not good at all, I am really hurting today”. The person got rid of me as fast as they could, I believe they saw leprosy forming on my limbs, he’s unclean, he’s unclean. Prove my theory right or wrong this Sunday when someone asks, “how you doing”, don’t give them the Sunday morning simplistic answer.

This phenomena isn’t just a Sunday morning church peculiarity. As most of you know I am in between assignments from God right now seeking His guidance and listening for His voice. The common response from most that talk with me is, “God has something better for you”. I believe their response is sincere, but not quite Biblically sound.  It could be as someone pointed out to me that, “they just don’t know what else to say and want the best for you”, I get that, and I am very thankful. In reality God might not have anything “better” for me in mind. He promises it will be better but that guarantee is only when I go HOME to live with HIM.

I was often guilty of this simplistic Sunday morning response as well. “I will pray for you”, was a common phrase that slipped off my tongue faster than the national debt climbs.  Prayer is powerful if one does it, which often times I didn’t and at the same time Matt 25:31-46 speaks to me that more than a Christian cliché is needed. Talking with that person who is emotionally spent, physically overwhelmed with dark circles under their eyes from a lack of sleep, and spiritually as dry as a desert because their 19 year old son has just committed suicide, I am sorry, “I will pray for you just doesn’t cut it”. So how do we overcome acedia in our lives and move past being the barriers of these Sunday morning simplistic sayings?  

Can we see in our minds eye that the best solution to this problem is that we will have to invest in other people’s lives just like Jesus did. We might have come to tears because of the overwhelming need someone has in their lives, just like Christ did. We might have to reach into our pocket books and help in concrete ways, just like Christ did. Our homes might need to be used for something other than our weekly meals and TV viewing. We might actually have to start caring about others more than we care about ourselves and our own needs.  We might have to cancel our own pity party when we realize how pitiful it really is compared to someone else’s situation. Tough stuff for all of us, including me, but being engaged and ready to act is what the body of Christ should be about.  Start today by swearing off anymore Simplistic Sunday Morning Answers, Amen!