Monday, September 22, 2014

And You Were Expecting?

An Inkling
The woman sat across the desk from the pastor and said, “After three weeks of enjoying the church’s services, prayer, fellowship, and counseling, I still feel a deep spiritual yearning.  So I’m going to sue your socks off.” 
Such is the picture in an old cartoon I recently came across.  It makes a joke of unrealistic expectations.  We may as well laugh.  For we inevitably (and painfully!) bring unworkable expectations with us into every new experience. 
For example, check out newlyweds.  The proverbial “you know the honeymoon is over” moment comes with the realization that one’s expectations are out of synch with marital reality.  Gratefully such expectations can be revised.  In fact, such revision is essential for the marriage to prosper.  And, of course, it’s not just marriage.  All of life’s significant arenas engage us in a continual process of retooling our expectations.   
So it is with St. Giles.  We laugh at the woman’s ludicrous expectations.  But what are yours?  Are they laughable?  Not to you.  You have reasons for your expectations.  One step toward making them realistic is to identify them, and the next is to ponder on their origins.  Whence came your expectations?  From previous church experiences?  From comparing St. Giles with neighboring churches?  From your own needs that you hope St. Giles will meet?  Yes, yes, and yes.  Of such are the origins of our expectations.
And as for guides in their revising, the most important is the Bible.  It describes God’s ways with his people, the very ways he works with us.  If we want realistic expectations of St. Giles in specific and life in general, it is well to know what God is up to! 
Being a church with you is a great adventure, and I thank God for your partnership – even if you are thinking of suing!
Blessings,

Keith