The Corrupting Influence of Familiarity
The first chapter of Malachi describes how people, loved by the Lord, fail to love and respect him in return. Verses six and thirteen describe it this way, “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord.”
In contrast, verse eleven describes people who find the Lord, possibly for the first time, “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.”
This last point was brought home for me when I watched a podcast where two individuals became Christians after experiences that they reasoned could only be attributed to God. Both had been turned off by the phony, cult-like behaviors they had seen among members of some churches. However, when they had their converting experiences, they saw things in a whole new way. Their enthusiasm for Christ was evident in their smiles and the light in their eyes. They then had to find churches that they described as more genuine and focused on the gospel, not a particular culture.
Last week we attended a ward in a less affluent part of the valley to watch our grandchildren’s Primary program. Two things were evident to me: one, many of the congregants faced financial and health problems, and two, they didn’t let these challenges stop them from worshiping the Lord. They wore their best clothes and were on their best behavior. I can only guess how many people in my home ward would stay home if all they had to wear were tattered dresses or sweatpants.
Other wards I have attended were in areas where virtually everyone is active members of roughly the same economic and social status. This homogenous culture seemed to me more about doing the right things but with a casual attitude. I am confident that many in those congregations face significant challenges that may be unmet because they may not fit in that cultural box.
In my mind, the only culture that should exist among the followers of Christ is a culture of love for all, service, devotion to God, and a thirst for the living waters of the gospel. We should be careful not to develop artificial standards for what it means to be religious people. We should avoid language and phrases that would be confusing to those attending our meetings for the first time.
We should let down our guard a little more and allow our flaws to show. Honesty comes at a possible cost of some embarrassment, but it also opens a door for others to know they are not alone in their struggles. Spiritual strengthening will positively affect any malady, and the church is a great place to get it. That is what I saw in the poor ward.
So, getting back to our offerings to the Lord as described in Malachi, what is acceptable? Is it what we offer or our attitude when we make them? What exactly is a pure offering, and what is a lame one? I contend that when we make easy sacrifices, they become meaningless. Tithing could be considered a minimum sacrifice for those who can afford it and a maximum for those who can barely make ends meet. Subsequently, it may be wise to make other offerings of time or service where possible. I am sure that the windows of heaven are opened a little wider when we make more sincere efforts.
I do not mean to burden anyone’s conscience with these suggestions. If you are overwhelmed, slow down. Consider areas in your life to which you can pay less attention. Take the list of possible church activities and responsibilities, and pare it down to manageable ones. Look carefully at your career and see where it is impeding higher priority items or interferes with your relationships at home and especially with God. I emphasize the connection to God because all the other ones improve when that is right. Sometimes when we get too busy, we fail to look for more efficient ways to get everything done.
Familiarity is becoming blind to possibilities. It is a place where nothing is unique, and it is going through meaningless motions. It is not developing and strengthening your unique talents. It is not going outside yourself; when you get stuck with yourself, you may find that you are not that interesting.
We are coming up to the season of introspection and new beginnings. Why we say, after the holidays, I will start doing this or that. Why not think of things we can start right now? Maybe we are corrupted by familiarity?
Here is a list of things you can do to make your life less familiar:
Rearrange your desk.
Cook a meal you haven’t had in a long time.
Change some pictures on the wall.
Look for beautiful things and take a photo.
Get to know someone new at church or in the neighborhood.
Try a new fragrance.
Serve someone in need.
Start a new hobby.
End compulsive behaviors (baby steps on this one).
Try to see things through a different lens.
Evaluate the ideologies you ascribe to and see what is wrong with them.
Count your blessings.
Write a journal. If it is boring, do something about it.
Give yourself credit for the good you do.
Look someone in the eye and tell someone you love them.
I am sure that you could continue this list with many more things. The point is to start thinking and doing things differently. When you do, you will be more enthusiastic and hopeful. Maybe you will discover some things about yourself you didn’t know. Get rid of the corruption of familiarity. Make an offering to the Lord that is not lame; he will love you for it. Oh, and be good, next week is Christmas!