New England and Christianity

A couple of quick points as I come in from shoveling and find out that the reason my feet felt funny was that the socks from the last snowstorm were still in the bottom of my boots:

1. New England and the Mega-Church

I have always wondered why the people in Southern California like to mock those living in the cold weather states. What are they trying to accomplish? Do they want everyone to pick up and move there with them, thus ruining what they’re bragging about? Secondly, just because you live somewhere doesn’t make you a better person. The same thing with big churches. Just because you go to a bigger church doesn’t make you a better Christian!

And finally, why do people that live in nicer places or go to bigger churches try to get others to change where they are? Do they not trust that God has called people to specific places to minister? Would you say to a missionary in Africa: “What are you doing there? The weather and the living conditions are much nicer here!”

Before the conditions make you wonder if you should leave a place, make sure you're not leaving your mission field because the cross (or the shovel) is too heavy to bear.

2. New England snowstorms and a “good enough” walk with God

After shoveling out for the third time this winter, I have come to the realization that we in New England have a definite sequence to digging out of our storms. When the first storm hits, we wipe every thing down perfectly to the point of pulling the cars one by one out of the driveway to get every last speck of snow off the ground and cars. Second storm hits and we are still diligent but not quite to the same exacting degree. When the storms keep coming we care less and less until finally we wipe enough snow off our windshield so that our face can look out and then drive right through the plowed snow bank at the end of the driveway and never look back. "Good enough."

I’ve realized that our Christian walk tends to look like this. When first struck by a “revival of the heart” we strive to remove every last jot and tittle of sin, anything in the past or present that could cause the slightest stumble or block our vision. In subsequent “revivals” we tend to knock off enough that allows us to still see and move forward. "Good enough." We’ll deal with the snowbanks later. As long as I can move unhindered I don't need to get rid of everything. Do I?