Tolerance

We were in church this morning, and a mother was sitting not far from us, holding a child who was about 6 months old. The child occasionally made some noise, not particularly loud, but every time the baby did so, all heads in our immediate area turned to stare, some, not all, with a bit of a head shake. After a few times, a young usher came to her and asked her to take the baby out.

I felt so irritated. Because when did we become so intolerant? "Give the woman a break!" I wanted to yell.

We live in such a morally permissive time. If it feels good, right, comfortable, then you should probably do it. And tolerance in the church is just as present as outside. We even go so far as to promote living in ways that are far from God's will and kingdom. Because, who are we to judge? Who are we to say that our interpretation of manuscript that has been translated time after time after time is truth? What is 'truth' anyway?

And yet, any small inconvenience to ourselves, like having to focus a little harder on the message and not allowing our minds to wander off when a small child makes a small sound, then we are quick to make a judgement. 

What is better? That a mum who may have had a tough week, who may need comfort from the Body, who may not have had much of a chance to sit down and read the Word - that she would have the chance to sit and hear and receive, even if that means her baby makes a little noise? Or should we ask her to leave, to sit outside the walls that protect us from discomfort? 

Is it better for her child to grow up being included in the congregation? Or to learn the modern take on 'children should be seen and not heard'? 

I am not saying that we should allow kids to run riot, to shout and scream and do whatever they want to while in church. The rule of love, of doing what is most loving for those around us, would necessitate teaching and discipleship of congregation kids on how to show respect, how to listen and learn about Jesus, how to be quiet so that others can also have the same opportunity to hear.

This dear mother was not causing any major disruption. She was working to keep her child quiet. But kids make noise. Small noises and large noises. And the inconvenience of that to others should not result in getting escorted out. 

Let us turn our tolerance in a better direction. Let's include whole families in the whole congregation and give parents the space, grace and chance to teach their kids how to love God and to love His kids within the corporate setting.