Preference. In the United States we are born into it. We mature in it. We live and die holding on to it. We are in a land of plenty. A land of options. A land of freedom. (Okay... relative freedom.) It is great to have plenty and options and freedom. But this can often lead to a problem in our faith.
We often see each other through the lens of our own preferences.
As a worship pastor I am grateful to say I have not been in a worship war. Skirmishes? Sure. Battles? Perhaps. It is difficult in our culture to know a believer who has not experienced some form of the worship war. Why? Because we all have preferences. Personally I am grateful to currently be in a church today that has people a variety of worship and musical preferences, yet has found a great sweet spot to thrive in and even move towards the future in. It does not mean that I don't encounter preference struggles. But its great to have church leadership who know it exists and work so hard to create unity through it. Their example in this has been key to help bring unity here.
We all have preferences to some degree. Even me! And I try to keep an open mind to all forms of worship. However, sometimes my (our) preferences get in the way of loving other people. And as a dear brother reminded me recently... that can not happen. Far more important that our preferences is the call for us to love each other!
Philippians 2:3 says that we should do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. That we should look not only to our own interests but to the interests of others. Romans 12:10 says that we should out do each other in showing honor. Respecting each others preferences. Loving the person whose preferences may be different than our own.
Let's honor each other. Let's remember that there is world out there that needs Jesus. We are already saved! They aren't. Let's honor each other. And let's honor the lost out there. Because when we treat each other well we show the lost the love of God! As Paul stated: Let's be all things to all people so that we might win some for Christ.
As a person who greatly enjoys so many forms of worship, even I still have preferences. We all do. But let's remember that our preference is only one color in a sea of colors that God created. I might like green. You might like blue. All those colors look pretty cool when they're all together. The key... love each other and love Jesus.
worship Him 24/7...
Scott
We often see each other through the lens of our own preferences.
As a worship pastor I am grateful to say I have not been in a worship war. Skirmishes? Sure. Battles? Perhaps. It is difficult in our culture to know a believer who has not experienced some form of the worship war. Why? Because we all have preferences. Personally I am grateful to currently be in a church today that has people a variety of worship and musical preferences, yet has found a great sweet spot to thrive in and even move towards the future in. It does not mean that I don't encounter preference struggles. But its great to have church leadership who know it exists and work so hard to create unity through it. Their example in this has been key to help bring unity here.
We all have preferences to some degree. Even me! And I try to keep an open mind to all forms of worship. However, sometimes my (our) preferences get in the way of loving other people. And as a dear brother reminded me recently... that can not happen. Far more important that our preferences is the call for us to love each other!
Philippians 2:3 says that we should do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. That we should look not only to our own interests but to the interests of others. Romans 12:10 says that we should out do each other in showing honor. Respecting each others preferences. Loving the person whose preferences may be different than our own.
Let's honor each other. Let's remember that there is world out there that needs Jesus. We are already saved! They aren't. Let's honor each other. And let's honor the lost out there. Because when we treat each other well we show the lost the love of God! As Paul stated: Let's be all things to all people so that we might win some for Christ.
As a person who greatly enjoys so many forms of worship, even I still have preferences. We all do. But let's remember that our preference is only one color in a sea of colors that God created. I might like green. You might like blue. All those colors look pretty cool when they're all together. The key... love each other and love Jesus.
worship Him 24/7...
Scott