Recently I was listening to a podcast where Sam Allberry and Ray Ortlund were discussing the contents of their book, You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2023). They discussed how honesty and honor are two things that make the church attractive. Honesty is how I present myself to others, with all my faults and sins. It is based upon James 5:16a, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed” (HCSB). Churches need to have a culture of honesty, especially among the leaders of the church. None of us are better than anyone else. We all have our issues, and we need to be honest about them.
But then we are called to honor one another. This is based on Romans 12:10b, “Outdo one another in showing honor” (HCSB). We are called to honor one another publicly and privately. In the podcast this was described as praising one another for our personality, abilities, faithfulness, and the implementation of these in our lives. And when our brother or sister praises us, we are called to praise them back. Truly honoring someone requires us to truly know them, which can only happen when we’re honest with one another.
Now, imagine how these actions will make the church an attractive place to be: a place where you are loved, where you can be yourself, where you are honored, and where you are encouraged to be transformed into Christ’s image. As was said during the podcast, beauty turns heads. A perfect rose, a lovely woman, a handsome man, a cute child, a stunning sunset, an elegant work of art, a perfect turn of phrase, a warm and loving relationship; all of these are beautiful and when people see them, they go “wow”. Beauty is attractive; thus, our churches should be beautiful. What are we doing to make our churches beautiful enough to turn heads? Are we honest with and honoring of one another? Are we committed to loving one another as Christ loves us – contra-conditionally? For if we did this, we would truly be one and thus draw people to Christ, as he prayed for us to be (Jn. 17:21). Let us beautify and purify ourselves as his bride so we turn the heads of the world, reflecting our magnificent Bridegroom and becoming the magnet for people to find God.