I had dinner today with a friend from my old church. Compared to most of the people who I've known since I was a teenager, he is comparatively a new friend, having known him only for slightly over a year. But I could easily be closer to him than most I've known for a good number of years.
I confess though, that if I had not picked up on news of certain things that I was sure would be disturbing him, I would not have taken the initiative in texting him to meet up, since we've both been busy with our own things. Though the context of the situations are different between the two of us, I felt I could relate to him in the similarity of the experience, and it has been a long time since we caught up with each other.
He steered clear of the things I know that are disturbing his life for the first half hour, while we caught up with the more safer topics like work. But when I started sharing on the reasons for changing churches, I think he saw how very similar our experiences were and started to share on his situation.
There was a point in time when I could go on and on lambasting on the attitude of the people from my old church, out of contempt for their weaknesses and from my bitterness of the hurt I've endured there. It isn't a particular nice feeling when the place where you expect to find a sanctuary from the hurt and pain in the world, turns out to hurt you more than the world ever did. Like a beautiful red rose you are smelling, comes a bee that stings you in the nose.
But I'm glad I've moved past that point. It wasn't perfect then, and my old church is certainly not perfect now. But you know, it's a good point in time to be in, when you can give up on your bitterness, and you can forget about the past misgivings (which was as much my fault as it was theirs) and remember the place with fond memories. And you know what, I do love them immensely! From my two human thus imperfect church elders, who showered me with so much love, to the families who have opened their hearts and lives to me so much so that I can walk in and out of their houses as I please, to those who have hurt me and been hurt by me before we were mature enough to guard one another in love and to the individuals who saw my worth and cared enough to just love me.
I'm very encouraged by my friend, because though he does seem greatly wronged by the people from my old church (since I have not heard the other side of the story, I'll try to be as neutral as possible), he is still able to love them and most importantly, stand assured on who he is before God. He has and continues to be a very great source of encouragement. Thanks Maxie ;)
Ain't perfect, but we're still working on it
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