Saved
We went to the pool yesterday afternoon. A young couple was there with their small kids. I know them well. She is from a very wealthy, Southern family - a true founding family of Columbus. As "blue-blood" as they come in the deep South - the truly priviledged - private planes, beach homes, regular trips to Europe, etc. For some reason, this issue of "status" has been nagging at me over the past few months and I have touched on it in many of my posts.

We in the South make a big deal of status. Who granddaddy was seems very "important" to us. Being a "5th generation" Georgian is "important". Being a debutant is "important". We make a big deal of family money in the South. Status seems to be very defining here in the South.

A friend of mine is a pastor here and after he had been in town, two of the most "prominent" members of the church (among the largest donors) commented to the associate pastor that the new pastor "Hasn't been to see us yet - doesn't he know who we are?"

What does that say? "Who we are?" You expect that around the Country Club - you expect that in the business world - but in the church? "My" status is important. "My" seat on the same pew. "My" role in the church as a pillar. I am a big donor, you had better pay your respects to me. Oh sure, that is Biblical - I am wealthy, I am successful - you'd better pay attention to me.

Whose church is it? Ours? Or, is it Christ's church? We've come to value "our" place above His mission. How'd we get wealthy? Who gave us the talents, gifts and abilities? Is everything we do just of our own hard work or is there a larger story at play?

But I digress from my story about this couple. My wife was asking about them and their faith. It is very strong. Both of them are very grounded and they have pulled out of the "family" church where 4-5-6 generations of the family have "pillared" and they have joined a new, progressive, emerging church with a passion for the Lord. My wife asked, "They don't play the society game do they? In that family, how have they managed to pull away and have such a strong faith" It made me think.

They have been "saved".

Truly, I understand being saved better now today than I did before she asked this question. This was a couple destined for "status"...destined for their "role" in society. Junior league, Country Club Board, debutant parties, Heritage Ball, Mardi Gras, serving on the St. Francis volunteer board, etc. They may still do all these things if they make that choice - the difference is, they are making the choice. They are not bound to it. They are not imprisoned by the family's expectations.

You really get the picture of imprisonment. Without the Lord, they were likely to be trapped by all the luxuries of the priviledged life and eventually, would have forgotten where the blessings came from to start with.

This couple has been saved by our Lord. Saved from the "status" life. Saved from the tyranny of having to attend a church because all the family has always attended that church. Saved from the prison of this life. The great Liberator has come to set the captive free.

Soar!