“So churches are not essential…but abortion clinics ARE essential. Got it.” -says a Twitter feed. The response that follows, “Correct. One is a needed medical procedure and the other is a book club.”

I must admit, my first response was anger. Outrage! Especially, considering my beliefs concerning this ‘medical procedure’. My brackets there as it is more than a procedure, but here I go off on this very disconcerting tangent.

We are a book club? The church is a book club?

No offense to all the book clubs out there and I have friends who have a great time reading books together. Well, I don’t think they actually read together but they read the same book. Then get together to discuss the book they have read, its message, themes, plot, possible applications to their lives or the culture surrounding them, and more.

Again, I resist the urge to lash out.

A book club?

No words can erase this.

We are the body of Christ and we are called to greater things.

Words are cheap and getting cheaper.

Some words from this Book call me (and other book club members) to greater things. Yes, we are a book club, but we go beyond all that. Read this…

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us…For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 1 Peter 2:12, 15

Now before you get riled that I called them pagans, the Greek word here is ethnos which simply means nations and implies those outside the faith.

Why should I be offended by their unkind or even inflammatory remarks?

Why do I want everyone to just agree with me?

Why do I feel the need to justify my beliefs with words, when EVERYONE knows actions speak louder than words?

The truth hurts. Do they see us as a book club?

Well, that’s on us.

Read that again, slowly. That’s on us.

Church, be who Christ has made you to be!

Jesus said this (in that book) by this all men (people) will know you are my disciples, when you love one another (John 13:35).

Do you think that twitter-feeder is wrong?

Then let your actions, your doing good in the world, right now, today silence such foolishness. Less talk. More action.