By, Faith Gelsthorpe
They had only been married for about 6 months. This was their first trip back “home” to visit his side of the family as a married couple. That’s when it happened...he was sitting in the living room just scrolling through his news feed on his phone when the conversation in the next room caught his ear. Did he hear his wife’s name mentioned? Sure enough, he did. In the next room over, his sisters were in the kitchen gossiping about his wife to their friends! They were bashing his BRIDE!!!
These women (who said they LOVED his Bride) had the nerve to make cutting remarks about her appearance, her laugh, and even her personality. They mocked the clothes she wore, the gifts she gave, the music she enjoyed and even her cleanliness! They were mocking every aspect of his BRIDE!
Of course, they didn’t realize the detriment their remarks were making on the relationship between them and their brother. He silently thought to himself, “Don’t they realize, when they are talking bad about my bride, they are talking bad about me? She and I are married and we became one! When they are bashing her, they are bashing me!”
The hurt he felt in his heart was so deep and overwhelming.
These ladies didn’t realize how FOOLISH and two-faced they looked as they sat there sipping their tea and mocking this man’s bride to others who were not in any sort of relationship with the bride. Even if the things they said were true, it was gossip and it hurt the reputation of the bride, the reputation of the groom, and it was just wrong!
Making those snide remarks made his sisters look like fools. If they saw a problem or a short coming with the bride, they should have offered grace or even a helping hand, but instead they only offered criticism. They could have sat down and talked with the bride and groom in an open and loving way, but they did not. Do they not realize that the BRIDE is part of their family? They are the people who should be loving and accepting of her, and helping her where she needs admonishment, but instead they only criticize.
Even though this brother absolutely loves his sisters, he cannot stand to hear someone talk negatively about his BRIDE! He feels personally attacked when someone speaks poorly about his bride!
I think these ladies didn’t realize the negative impact their gossiping words had on their relationship between them and their brother...otherwise they would have never uttered such rude and hateful slanders against his BRIDE!
“...Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;...” - Ephesians 5:25
“ For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 12:12
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” - 1 Corinthians 12:27
NOTE - That story is not true. Any similarities between any persons living or dead is completely coincidental!
The local church is the BRIDE of Christ. Multiple times in Scripture, God refers to the local church as His bride! He loves His bride so much that He gave Himself for it! God’s love for the church is immeasurable to say the least...and so many times, we who call ourselves Christian woman are guilty of criticizing Christ’s BRIDE!
I think, oftentimes, we don’t understand the severity of our negativity. Of course we like going to church. We like the social aspect, the free babysitting, the free donuts in Bible study, the coffee bar, the air conditioning, dressing up, chatting with friends, and everyone once in a while, we might even pay attention to the lesson!
But, when something or someone at “CHURCH” rubs us the wrong way, you can be SURE we won’t let that slide!
It’s so easy for us to point out the negative aspects of the church - (aka) Christ’s BRIDE!
When we speak negatively about the church, we are speaking negatively about the BODY of CHRIST! The Bible says that the church is the body of Christ. The very representation of JESUS here on earth today. When we speak poorly of the church, we are speaking poorly of Jesus. No Christian should be part of church bashing. When you feel there is a problem in the church, talk directly to God about it!
Hebrews 4:15 admonishes us to talk to God directly about our problems! He is ready and available to listen.
God also gave us pastors and teachers to help us in the local church! If you really have an issue, then talk to someone who can help with it. Talk TO the leadership of your church...but don’t go around gossiping ABOUT them!
Ephesians 4:11-12
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
In ignorance we take to social media to “vent” our feelings about other “so-called” Christians at the church that isn’t performing up to our standards. We vent to friends at work, or others who don’t even attend our church! We tell others about all the imperfections of the church. How it’s not as “cool” as we think it should be, or how it’s not as “friendly” as we think it should be, or how it’s not even as “clean” as we think it should be.
How FOOLISH it makes us look to the world when we speak poorly about Christ’s BRIDE, the local church!
When we talk to the world about how “FAKE” those other Christians are...all they see is a foolish domestic dispute.
People within the family fighting with one another and pointing out the flaws in the other just for an attempt to make themselves look better. I have news for you, ALL negative comments whether in person or on social media about church/Christianity makes ALL Christians look foolish. It does not help edify the body of Christ. It does not help build the Kingdom of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:27 - “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
Read that verse one more time...and make sure it sticks! If there is a problem in the church, then do what you can to fix it yourself!
WE ARE THE CHURCH!
Don’t spread gossip! Don’t vent on social media!
Don’t stop attending!!!
WE are the hands and feet of Christ! We are the tools He chose to use to reach this world for HIM! We are His BRIDE! Represent Him today in the way you will wish you would have when you finally see Him in Heaven.
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