Anyone who knows me knows that this is a fun time of year for me. I love gardening and yardwork. My yard however is far from perfect, and I prefer it that way. My husband and I had to strike a deal about the grass as I enjoy the weeds that mix with the grasses in our yard. He keeps the front yard "weed-free" and I enjoy the weeds in the backyard. I believe that dandelions are a cheerful addition. Not everyone shares my affinity for dandelions. Most people are on a quest to erradicate them from their yards. I love dandelions because I think they are the most related to me in spirit.
In the past year, my family and I have been through a variety of changes. These changes have been for the most part a tremendous struggle for us. First, leaving our church home to serve at another, and then being plucked from that church a few short months later to again search for a church home. Its a strange place to be when you are searching for a church home. I had forgotten the whole process of trying on church families and the process of them figuring out if and where you fit in to their family. It's been an emotionally exhausting process for us, being spiritually homeless.
Its a little like being a fluffy dandelion seed being blown from yard to yard. Dandelion fluff is cute and delicate stuff. I think most all of us hve enjoyed blowing those puffs as a child.
The thing about blowing dandelion seeds is this: Its fun to stir up the seeds, but no one wants them in their yard. Dandelions send down deep roots and grow tall brightly colorful flowers, but they are sticky and stain your skin and clothing, so at the end of the day, no one wants them. Great lengths are taken to eliminate these weeds from the yards of many, lest great fields of yellow sticky flowers sprout and take over our otherwise perfect gardens.
I think many churches today treat their guests (or visitors) as if they are dandelion seeds. We dont want the church to turn into a proverbial weed patch so we do our best to make sure we only accept those who are most like us or who make us look better to ourselves and others. If it looks like someone is going to take root in our church, we make sure they fit into our criteria instead of allowing them to set down roots and reach for the Son.
Yet, every church wants to believe they are outreach minded. They want to believe they are friendly. They send their congregants out to invite others to church, reach the lost, help the homeless and needy. When those people arrive at their church, its a whole different story. Its a lot of fun to watch the dandelion fluff float across the sky, but its not so much fun when it lands in YOUR yard.
Dandelions are difficult to erradicate from any yard. Once they take root, they can spread and take over rather quickly. Then the perfect green grass is speckled with bright unmistakably yellow flowers.
I think churches often fear the same thought when it comes to newcomers. They perceive themselves to have a perfect situation and cant accept when others add their splash of color into the mix for fear of a take over.
As we visit churches and find our new family, we have been hard pressed to find churches who really truly welcome you.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 Corinthians+3&version=NIV
