To The Broken…

That’s you. Yes, you. Whoever you are. You may not want to admit it, you may think you’re put together, but you, my friend, are broken. It doesn’t matter what your walk of life is. No matter if you’re a first time reader, subscriber, or one of those weird people that just reads what I post to gossip about it later, you are broken. And as soon as you come to grips with that, the more you may get out of this blog. What am I referring to? Broken refers to many things. First and foremost, none of us are perfect. Every single one of us are sinners. We’re broken.

“I may be broken, but you’re more broken than I am.”

Having worked at Lowe’s, I could only imagine a customer who bought porcelain tile and me trying to explain to them that, “Yes, I understand that the piece of tile I sold you was broken, but it was less broken that this other piece.” Does it matter how broken something is? If it’s broke, it’s broke. Yet, there’s this ridiculous competition to expose everyone else’s brokenness, but hide our own blemishes.

I was taught in seminary that the most effective way to lead some to Christ, is to get them lost first. Meaning before getting saved, they need to discover what their current state is. I think a step further from that, is that the most dangerous thing a Christian can forget is that they too, were once lost. Christians enjoy the luxuries of being a child of God that we too often forget we once were completely separated from God. It’s this kind of lifestyle that gives preaching a bad name. No matter how straight of a life you’ve lived, you’re no more saved than the Christian next to you. We have to quit competing and realize we’re on the same team.

Now, I’m a Baptist, so maybe other denominations are different, but for a group of people who claim to be the New Testament Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are our own worst enemy sometimes and I highly doubt it’s just us. We are so quick to remove broken people from the congregation all in an effort to keep the bride pure, but then fail to love them. We think now their lives will be miserable because they’re not apart of us anymore, but some live as if they’re better off. The harsh question is, are they?

Are broken people better off not coming to your church?

I’m reminded of a story a pastor friend told me of his small church who prayed and prayed for visitors as they were dwindling in size. They even had special services in the middle of the week just for prayer in an effort to keep the congregants focused on the mission. Finally one Sunday, a gentleman came in the Sanctuary right as the message was starting. That afternoon, all the members met for lunch as they always did each Sunday, and all they discussed was why this guy covered in tats, piercings and funky clothes came to church that morning. Can you remember you wondering this? How about the deacon telling the African American family that there’s a better church for then cross town with more of their people? Because I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, I remember being asked if my church allowed gay people in our church. And you maybe reading this, comprehending those three examples and say, “but some of those people don’t even sound broken?” And you couldn’t be more right, but the accusers certainly are broken.

To my knowledge, no one from the LGBTQ community currently attend the church I serve in, but so what if they did attend? Are they not worthy to praise God and/or hear His Word? More importantly, are you worthy? Sure, you may think your sexuality is biblical, but are you a glutton? How much of your conversation is spent gossiping or tearing down people? ALL OF US are broken. If God’s people put as much effort in advancing the kingdom as they do in tearing it down, churches across the world would witness serious revival. Yet, we hang on to our core 30 or less and think we’re doing all we can. There is so much work to be done.

The saving grace of God is for ALL OF US. The Bible tells us very plainly and clearly that ALL are sinners and come short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23) the Bible also says, “ALL who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) Yes, we are all broken, but some of us have a healer, but the healing is for ALL. So how is a Christian, aware of their brokenness, meant to live? Certainly not defeated and definitely not entitled. It’s simple my fellow broken friends:

Saved people serve.

Fruit bearing isn’t rocket science. I am a child of Larry and Joyce Crouch. I have traits of my mom and dad. I walk, sound and act very similar to them because I am their child. My resemblance is evidence that I am their child. If you know them, you see them in me. Jesus, in His short time on earth, served. He taught what it meant to be a servant and showed us how to serve. “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” – 1 John‬ ‭3:1‬. You are the only Bible people will read. You represent Christ. Those who are children of God, act like Him. Save people, serve.

If you have Jesus in your heart and He is Lord of your life, your brokenness does not define you. You are defined by who lives within you. When Jesus resurrected, before He ascended to Heaven, He appeared in a locked room where the disciples were hiding for fear of the Jewish leaders. After He appeared, John records in John20:20, “As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!”

He became broken, just like me. He became sin, like me, but He knew no sin so that we could become His righteousness! Through all brokenness, sin can certainly leave scars, but your scars are evidence of healing. Remember to walk knowing you were once broken, but now are healed; not because you were deserving, but by grace are ALL who call upon the name of the Lord saved through faith. Signing out for now. Talk to you again soon. Thanks for reading.