I love church. And what I mean by that is I love the "body" of Christ....the real meaning of church. I love Jesus and I am ever thankful for his sacrifice of love for me. Out of that love...there is an overflow of love in my heart for God's people. There is nothing like walking the halls of church and having a million people to talk with, laugh with, hug, and just be around. I am so blessed when it comes to that. Anyway...I do have one gripe with the "body". I know none of us would claim perfection and we would be crazy to think we are....but I am tired of the church not respecting each other by talking about each other instead of confronting one another when necessary. I just heard a story yesterday that made me mad. If you hear or read something someone says and you disagree...or if someone offends you.....or just plain hurts you....talk to THAT person. Jesus is not honored in gossip. (see Matthew 18:15-17) I know it isnt easy to do (some may say I dont have a problem with this but at times I do) but we must if we ever want to have church be love. I think a book I am reading says it best. The book is Jesus in the Margins. I quote: In John 14, Jesus tells us to love one another as he has loved us. If God's family really took this seriously and loved one another as Jesus has loved us, we would see a group of people who forgive each other, people who are devoted to each other, people who respect and care for one another. This would be a family of people who dont judge one another but, rather, encourage one another to live life as Jesus defined for us." Does the love you have for God's family look like the love Jesus has for you? Does the love we say we have for the "church" mean we should gossip about each other and play nice on Sunday's or should we decide to be real, even when it will cost us for a moment? Jesus is honored in the REAL places of life. That is when the love we are all looking for shows up. Dont be afraid to be real. And stop talking about each other...that is why we left the world and went to live in the church, right?