Sunday, July 02, 2006

Does Church trump all other interests?

The Do-gooders are great people. Assistant pastors, homeschooling family, lots of community outreach, volunteer at various organizations and are pillars in the church. They are well respected everywhere they go. One child is involved in a sport and does very well. One of the championship games will take place on a Sunday in the middle of service. The parents wrestle with this. Do they say the child can't play because it's a Sunday? Does one parent go to church and one parent go to the game? Do neither go to church, or neither go to the game? Common wrestling questions for parents - how to support their child in their particular interests. They decided to not attend the child's game. I'm not writing to pass judgement on their choice - it's their choice to make. But it began a conversation on the order of life.
I believe the order of priority in my relationships is
God
Family
Church
My relationship with God is first and foremost. All the others suffer when this is not attended to. My family must come next. My husband and children are precious relationships that will last into eternity. The church is an extended family of people. Some I have no relationship at all other than saying "hello," others are close friends and there are many in the middle. My church and my community are places God has placed me to both to learn and to teach. But when is it okay to let my interests, or the interests of my children override a church service? I'm not talking about a visit from the Pope, the President, Dr. Dobson or even a special event. Just a church service. I can get the tape of the sermon. I can ask the worship director which songs were sung. I can get the announcements from friends. So (in wayyy general terms) is it acceptable to skip church & go to the beach once a year? Or to go on a girl's weekend? When my kids are older and have games on a Sunday, what will our standard be as a family?
Just questions running through my head. Each family, each parent will have to make their own choices and wrestle for themselves. But in generalities, when does church trump my family? When does church trump a vacation?

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