Improvement eclipsed by numbers

I read something this week talking about the surprise a particular writer finds each time she observes a community acting like they ‘still believe in each other and their possibilities’. That phrase hit home with me. I get accused every so often of being an idealist, even a bit naïve. Actually I take it as a compliment and a challenge! It is sad that optimism and belief in people comes as such a surprise, and I have to confess that even with my naïve idealism I have been guilty of writing people off or sometimes possessing an unhealthy amount of cynicism.

In the same magazine I read another article about the history of economic progress and came across the idea that ‘improvement has been eclipsed by numbers’. For example, what society once strived for was a better standard of life for people, and some would argue that this has become an exercise in reaching higher targets, accumulating more wealth and shrinking human experience and need into statistics.

These two phrases – believing in each other and human possibilities, alongside the idea that improvement has been eclipsed by numbers led me to think about the church. (I need to get out more.)

The Christian church teaches that people are full of potential and that as community we can open up endless opportunities, we can do big things and be loving world changing people. Yet in our heartfelt need to keep our traditions alive we’ve been occasionally guilty of striving for numbers rather than putting our focus on improving the way we engage with the Kingdom of God and the people made in His image.

God doesn’t need us to package Him inoffensively, give him a gloss and market him strategically. I truly believe becoming Kingdom focussed involves equipping each other to serve and stand up for those who are left out in the cold. I don’t think we need to worry too much about that putting people off!

I have seen how churches who have chosen to be outward looking first have found that with such a prophetic calling their congregations have been set alight to realise countless possibilities. And it’s hard to ignore that people with a purpose attract people. I wonder if it’s time we just get on with loving each other...