Recently I went to one of my favourite cafes.
One I probably go to more than many other options I have in the town where I live.
I like the atmosphere and they are normally consistent with their food and coffee.
Plus they know me by name which helps me feel part of the place...

On Saturday though something happened. A mistake was made with my order and they forgot to bring out our food.

Now here is the thing...
Most of us at this point feel an urge come over us.
That so called righteous something that we need to do something because of the slight we perceive. I faced a choice on how I was going to respond. I took a few deep breaths and spoke to a staff member calmly about the problem. And of course we worked something out.

There is no way I am giving up my loyalty to my favourite cafe over one mistake.
And I will go as far as to say that they can get my order wrong several more times this year and I will still keep going. Because I value the good I get the majority of the time and that is what I find worth holding onto.

Why am I sharing this story?

I was reminded about how as followers of Christ, we sometimes over-react to things not going the way we hoped for. Many people I know have walked away from the christian family we call Church, because of one or a few things going wrong.
Now please don't stone me, sometimes really bad things happen in family...and you should be safe. But the reality I have seen, is that many leave over very simple offences.
Someone makes a mistake.
The music was loud that week.
One person out of many says something that make us uncomfortable or hurts.
The message wasn't a home run hit for you.
The list is endless...

In my Church I see value in staying committed to that family over the majority of issues we might face because I truly value that relationship. My family mean more to me than much anything else!
If one thing tips me out the door then that shows it didn't mean that much to me at all.

Doesn't the Bible talk a lot about forgiveness, especially of those closest to us?
What about that thing called 'grace'? Do we expect it and give it freely as well?

My encouragement to you is to forget about 'perfect' and hang onto 'committed'.
Find what God has put you in as valuable and even fight for it.
Don't give the devil a foothold by letting disappointment or even bitterness be your guide.
And let us love because we have been ultimately loved...

Something to think about...