So I did a little social experiment a few months ago. I went to my youth group, where I don't have too many friends, and decided to see how many people would approach me. If you know me, you know I am usually the one to approach people, so this was quite abnormal for me, but I wanted to see what would happen.
I walked in with my phone, sat in a corner, but still in a place where people could clearly see me, and waited. I didn't talk, I didn't wave to anyone, I just sat, and watched as the people passed me by.
Five minutes pass and no one has approached me. But I'm not too worried. It hadn't been that long, the youth room was still fairly empty, and most of the kids that were in there were the ones that were already shy.
Fifteen minutes pass and the room is packed. I haven't gotten so much as a passing glance. Now I'm getting a little worried, and, if I'm being completely honest, I was getting very insecure. "Am I intimidating? Does no one like me? Am i really that unapproachable?!". At this point, I have resorted to playing on my phone.
Twenty minutes pass... nothing. I'm still playing on my phone, waiting to get a text back from my friend whom I was hoping to talk to so I wouldn't be so lonely.
Twenty-five minutes pass... still nothing. No one has looked at me, no one has waved to me, no one has even given me a quick, awkward smile.
Twenty-eight minutes and someone finally approaches me! "Hey, what are you doing over here all alone? You should be out there, having fun," the boy said, I knew this kid. His name was Reid, and because he was the only person who approached me in the entire half-hour I was sitting there, I think he's awesome.
In church, you're always told that the congregation should be a family, a community, people should look out for one another, include one another... THEN HOW COME IN THE MIDDLE OF FLIPPIN' CHURCH I WAS ONLY APPROACHED BY ONE PERSON?!?!
This really pissed me off. Why am I sitting all alone in a corner, freaking SURROUNDED by at least 100 other people my age and only 1 of those people comes over to talk to me?! Why is our church so divided and clique-y?! Yes, having a group of good friends that you hang out with is fine, encouraged, even. But, I don't think it's fair that I was sitting alone for 30 minutes while everyone else was socializing. Look me in the eye and tell me there's not something wrong with that.
Why is our church so divided when Jesus is supposed to bring us together?
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