The Benefits of Holding Our Preferences Lightly

A couple of years ago I decided to change my church membership and join a different LCMS church after visiting there over a period of a few months. By and large the church members that I had met were sincerely and cheerfully engaging -- remarkably so, every Sunday.

In the congregation's recent history, they had lost their relatively young pastor to disease and then decided to combine their separate contemporary and traditional worship services into a single gathering. I saw their coming together as not only evidence of something admirable about the congregation's character, but as a way of sustaining an aspect of their shared spirit that mattered.

Eventually I remarked to a couple of congregational leaders, "People here seem to hold their preferences lightly. My sense is that you benefit a lot from that. And I'm learning to do more of the same." Heads nodded in agreement and appreciation.

When we hold our preferences lightly, we release more time and energy to engage one another helpfully in genuine fellowship. Were some elements of today's worship service not to my liking? Maybe, but no matter! "How's your mother doing?... Good to see you walking without crutches!... I don't think we've met before.... Let me introduce you.... Glad you could join us today!...."

We should continue to concern ourselves with sound doctrine and practice, of course. Perhaps we can more deliberately consider the character and spirit of our congregations as well, cultivating and amplifying collective aspirations along these lines, to God's glory and for our own joy:

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35 ESV).
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works" (Heb. 10:24).