Not Like Mother Makes

“This was good, but not like mother makes?” I must admit that I am not the type of husband that allows that statement to leave my mouth because it is simply not true. My wife is the best preparer of food I know, and my mother has no taste. However, I have been in relationships with others that talked about their past relationships with uncomfortable frequency. They bring them up as if not just remembering the person for who or what they were but talking about them in a way that makes you feel like they are trying to convince you to be like them. 

When we focus on comparing our previous church, we sound like, “mom made it better.” We speak of those churches as if we wished we were still there or worse.  We want to change our current church body to match the one we once had. It is sad when we attempt to change the body because we often miss many of our new community’s qualities.

I struggle to confront the well-meaning intentions of those who believe that “church” is defined by tradition instead of people. They tend to be passionate about the building, programs, and service while missing the community. When confronting tradition, I end up threatening the cornerstones on which they have built their idea of “church.”

If we start to look at our “church” as a collection of individual members that make up a living body of Christ, we will begin to recognize the uniqueness each one brings. Each person has their own needs. Each local body of Christ is unique by nature. If we attempt to box the church into a neat model of what makes another church “successful,” we miss the needs and purpose for which we gather. 

I believe it to be vital that we learn from other church bodies. However, it is dangerous to look or act like them. We are a reflection of Christ and only Christ. A reflection of a reflection can take on damaging characteristics, especially when one of the mirrors is not perfect. The word of God is the only reference manual that we need. We must cleave to the new season that God has brought us to and leave the past where it belongs.

The lessons and trails that got us here will not lead us to the next seasons in our lives. Often we think that we will arrive somewhere and then get to take a break. God does not operate like this. We are on a continuous journey that will never end in this lifetime. Lean in, take the reins, and understand the past’s role in your life without letting it debilitate your present. 

In this way, we are open to learning new truths for the future. We are in the place we are in because God has placed us there. We are in a new body. Forget your mother’s cooking and help your new and unique bride develop into one honoring and pleasing to the Lord.