The following is a fictitious story…
My brother wrote on FB the other night: “My brother’s wife is a lying hypocritical cheat. She says she loves him more than anyone else but if she had to choose between her “stuff” and her husband she’d ditch him in a sec. She says she wants to be generous to others with their money but she spends it all on herself. I love her as my sister-in-law, but I’m hoping by calling her out like this that she’ll see what she’s doing and change.”
After the initial shock led to deeper shock and anger I called my brother. Not a pretty confrontation. I told him I knew there were problems but that I loved my wife more than anyone else. She is my lovely bride of more than 25 years. I said I know there are struggles in our marriage and that we are working on them. Calling her out on FB was not going to help her change. It only aggravates the issues. Many of the actions he attributed to her happened years ago. To his credit, when he first became aware of her attitudes he worked within our family to help her. We had quite a few conversations around the dining room table. Understandably she got upset, but in the end she began to understand and listen. But she did not change as fast as he wanted her to nor in the ways he thought she should change. Thus the FB rant.
Through the past few years, with counseling and open discussions between us, she is making some huge changes. And we’re growing closer together and more in love with each other every day.
****
End of fictitious story. A few questions about this story…
- Why do some Christian brothers and sisters insist on trying to correct the Bride of Jesus by publicly slamming her for all her faults?
- Do they really believe that by publicly writing scathing indictments, the Church, or a church, will really change?
- Do they not think Jesus is perfectly aware of all Her faults yet loves her with everything He has anyway? Don’t they believe He has the power to bring about change in His Bride?
- What does Jesus think of his brothers writing about His Bride in this way? I know how I feel, but what about Jesus?
- Is there a role for an Old Testament-style prophet who declares the faults of the Church and God’s displeasure over them?
- Or is the New Testament model of gentle shepherd more what Jesus desires for those who want to help His bride?
Mull it over and tell me what you think. I’ll give you my take later.
***Disclaimer: my real brother, Rich, would never EVER do anything like this, nor is my wife anything even remotely close to the story described above.