My reflection on the 125th Anniversary Thanksgiving and Aldersgate Service of the Methodist Church in Singapore (3)

There is a danger with familarity. For church with a long history, we sometimes do not question exisiting practices. We may find it too familiar to notice that it is a problem. We may feel too comfortable to fix any problem. We may feel safe, very safe, and this can be problematic.

If we experience worship as safe, as something that never rocks our world or shakes us out of our normal habits of feeling, seeing, thinking, and behaving, we may be consoled but we shall never be redeemed. (Paul J Waldell, Becoming Friends)

 

When we feel too safe, we may stop praying. When we feel too safe, we may stop going to church. In James 1:2-18 (NIV), we are reminded of the purpose of trials:

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

 

13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

 

From this passage, we learn:

• The good that has come from trials.
• The comfort we can have in trials.

Familiarity can be a double-edged sword. It can be both useful and dangerous. We can easily develop familiarity today, for example,

• With those teaching the Word of God ("He no longer impresses me"
• With the message of the Word itself ("I've heard that many times before")

Reading bible is beneficial. It helps us to be familiar with the bible. Familiarity of the Bible can help us to better understand God and grow spiritually. However, familiarity of the Bible can also cause us to grow cold to it. We stop doing what God reveals to us in the bible!! Like the psalmist who is aware that he doesn't often feel or see wonderful things as wonderful, we may also pray Psalm 119:18 each time we go to the Bible: "Open my eyes that I may behold wonders in your law." The point of this prayer is that there are wonders everywhere in the law, in the Bible, in the instruction of God. We need to ask God to help us see the wonders in the bible. We need to be free from the familiarity that breeds contempt. For instance,

• The better we know people, the more likely we are to find fault with them. - The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy
• If you know someone very well or experience something a lot, you stop respecting them. - The Free Dictionary
• The more you know something or someone, the more you start to find faults and dislike things about it or them. - UsingEnglish.com

When we know a person very well, we may not even believe them! As Matthew 13:54-58 tells us:

And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 57And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." 58And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

 

The people listening to Jesus were knew Him. They were familiar with Him as they were His relatives and friends. At first they were impressed with Him, the way He talked and the wisdom and clarity of His words. Later on, they started to doubt what he said. Are we guilty in the same why today ? Are we developing the familiarities today with those who teach the word of God in Truth and Love? Do we allow our familiarities today to breed contempt, no longer appreciating the word of God or those who teach and preach it (taking them for granted)? We need to be careful here, as Matthew 13: 58 reminds us

 

And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Jesus, may our familiarity with you lead us not away from you, but closer to you.