I hate cliques.
I hate how they exclude others and the air they seem to give off. It's tense, competitive and downright intimidating. What irritates me is the people who get pulled into it. Sweet, kind, and honorable people get sucked into it leaving no room for friendship...and snobs? They are the ones who think they have it all together and no one else. We should value their opinion, taste and intellect! To do so, would be completely idiotic.
But what's worse is when I see it within the church.
"10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household,that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"
-1 Corinthians 1:10-13
Here Paul addresses the issue to the church in Corinth. Different members of the church associated themselves with different leaders thinking one was better than the other. It caused contention and strife within the church body causing them to lose sight of what really mattered. Jesus.
I think we can get caught up in who we are, the gifts the Lord has blessed us with, the people we interact with, and the activities we do.
We identify ourselves with things other than the Lord and everything goes downhill from there.
"If you're living out of your identity in Christ, you don't have to fearfully ride the up-and-down roller coaster of other's opinion of you." -Paul Tripp (another Paul, I realize that.)
When we identify ourselves with something other than Christ, we strive for more. We hunger for more, and become competitive. We elbow and shove each other to get to the front of the line even though we are going to the same place! We get hurtful and plain mean.
Why?
Why do you have to prove yourself to the world? To the church? To those you interact with? Frustrations, paranoia, and means of intimidation become daily companions for those who aim to be better than the rest. Wouldn't it be better to give those up and instead trade them in for peace and fulfillment in all circumstances through Jesus?
When we give up our pride and our identity we gain a better identity and that is to be a child of God, through the Lord. When people smirk and turn away, we can rest assured we matter to Someone whose opinion truly does matter. When we are children of God and follow in His ways, there is an openness and people feel welcomed around you! Why? Because Christ is shining through you and there is no hindrance to hide the light which comes through!
There are Christians I have met and avoid because, yes, they might love the Lord but because He has blessed them they are also taken with their gift. They let their gifts and talents almost repel others from them. Or they just simply show no interest in being open. Nothing absolutely wrong with it...but it can get others away from God if they aren't open.
That was me.
A few years ago, I was so in love with the Lord. Really I was. But I didn't let Him allow Him to work through me. I thought I did and I could've argued I was all for the Lord if you asked me. I wasn't open and I had a wall built up because I was tired of the cliques. I saw how ruthless, and mean they could be to a girl like me or really anybody for that matter. But one girl always made it a point to talk to me. She worked in the grocery store and to be honest, because she was such a chirpy freshman at the time and I was a junior, I got pretty annoyed really easy. She was popular while I was trying hard to keep my grades up and not be noticed by anybody. She tried so hard to befriend me and I would keep a conversation just to make her happy but I really wanted to get away. Finally she got the hint and left me alone. But before that my mother rebuked me. "You are to be a light for the Lord! What are you doing pushing people away?" I begrudgingly listened and made all kinds of excuses.
Two years ago, this girl passed away.
Since that time, I have learned never to be in a clique or allow cliques to hinder me from being a light to those who don't know the Lord. I have learned to be more open though it is a work in progress...
Praise the Lord, through a bitter cry of a friend, he shared this girl loved God. So even though I failed and allowed myself to be snobby, God worked. But don't take that for granted. Get out of the clique-y attitude and be a light.
I hope this made sense and if you read this far...well done.
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