perishable

It's funny really that we have such a fear of foods moving past their expiration date. Well, maybe my friend is the exception, I found a box of carrot cake mix that expired in 2002. But perishable items are a little more sketchy, I don't find too many things past their date in the fridge. One or two, but not a few.

A friend of mine, when he lived as a bachelor, held onto all kinds of bottles and cartons well after their time had come. In fact when my roommate and I cleaned out his fridge, there were milk jugs that had expired a year before. On the other hand, I have friends that once they see the date has passed will toss something in the garbage without looking or smelling. Mind you, they may be throwing away good items based on their "sell by" date alone.

I have learned, most things are worth checking out. In Peru, I made the most of most things and if my natural yogurt had an expiration of January, I still used it into February. Of course, I checked it each and every time I was about to pour it in a mixing bowl. You must take care with perishable items. Sooner or later they will perish.

But there are so many things in this life that are perishing and we forget. We hold onto them like my bachelor friend. 1 Peter 1:18-19 acknowledges that silver and gold will perish, unlike the redeeming blood of the lamb, which will not. We look forward to a day when the earth and all its works will be burned up to pave the way for the new heavens and the new earth (2pet 3:10-13). Yet, we continue to build up and store up. For what? To have more to lose in the end?

The pastor on Sunday morning made a quick and interesting statement. He was speaking about things we should focus on - the eternal and not the temporal. He stated that "the temporal will perish." Followed up quickly with, "these church buildings one day will be gone!"

So, sitting there with my mind half American, half Peruvian at this point, I couldn't help but think about the types of churches that I saw all over Peru and the types which I find here in the US. Seems like churches here are getting built up to be bigger and bigger, until the size of the lot is outgrown and a move "must" be made. I was intrigued by a small church in the jungle which had no doors. It had three walls and a roof, but that fourth wall was missing. Sure, it made for some work when they had to connect the lights to the electrical wires. It made for more work to carry the guitar and the offering plate down to the church. But, it was open and inviting. How many US churches these days have locked gates and security guards? What have we turned church into?

Anyways, it struck me that just like the milk that sits in your fridge has an expiration date because it is a perishable item, so the church building looks forward to a day which it will no longer stand. What will are the people inside. Therefore, the people's hearts and souls are *more* important than the building.

So, why is it that churches raise millions of dollars for building campaigns and are cutting back on missionary support?