“We Are Sorry . . . Please Forgive Us . . .”
As I have read the news this week I have sensed that there are a number of apologies that need to be issued. It seems that Paris Hilton should apologize to the young girls of America for her less than desirable influence. It seems that the Rev. Al Sharpton might want to apologize for his comments about Mitt Romney’s belief in God. And whoever started the fire that raged over Griffith Park should apologize and be held accountable!
After all, over the past month people in the news have been falling all over themselves apologizing.
In New York, the disgraced broadcaster Don Imus apologized for racist and sexist comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. In Washington, DC Attorney General Alberto Gonzales apologized for the firing of eight U.S. attorneys before the Senate Judiciary Committee. In Blacksburg, Virginia the family of Virginia Tech killer Seung-Hui Cho apologized, stating that they feel “hopeless, helpless and lost” and are “deeply sorry” for his “unspeakable actions.” Finally, last month in Los Angeles, Alec Baldwin apologized for his angry, scalding words to his 12-year-old daughter Ireland.
When is the last time you heard a sincere apology? A heartfelt, “I’m sorry, please forgive me� is p-o-w-e-r-f-u-l! Unfortunately, those who spend their existence inside the walls of the ‘Church’ are so often oblivious to this earth moving dynamic.
Recently one of my favorite local coffeehouse managers made a statement to me that cause me to take a step back. He said. “I think the ‘Church’ should apologize.�
I asked, “What for?�
He said, “For being so hypocritical and so irrelevant!�
Wow! Now that hits a nerve! I love it when someone is so honest.
And let’s be perfectly clear about this: I think he is right! I have been chewing on what we should do about it 24/7 since then. I thought of silk-screening T-shirts that say, “Please Forgive Me.� I bet many people would appreciate it. When people ask “Why the shirt?� I would simply say, “Because we as the Church have failed enormously at just being the Church in so many ways . . .�
Another friend of mine gave me an idea. He said, “Maybe you should preach through an original series called, “WE ARE SORRY FOR . . .�
That would be a powerful series! What if we apologized for being hypocritical . . . judgmental . . . legalistic’ . . . irrelevant’ . . . acting holier than thou’ . . . etc.
I don’t know about you, but there are plenty of people I run into in my neighborhood, at my kid’s school, at the mall, etc. who would love an apology from the church for any of these.
I have always been in awe of the contrast between the prayer of Pharisee and that of the tax collector in Luke 18. Notice they both went up to the temple to pray. Just maybe . . . we ought to opt for the posture of the tax collector . . . “But he stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.�