It’s a common phrase that we hear from time to time, but I’m not so sure we think of it in relation to people.
Yet, after dealing with people in some capacity or another over the years, I have become a firm believer that most people have two sides, but there is an interesting aspect about the makeup of a coin. Whatever it’s made of on 1 side, it’s made of the same material on the other side.
I’m not sure why it is, but it seems that if a person loves a restaurant, for example, he or she can be the best advertisement that restaurant has. But let that person have a bad experience, a bad meal or bad service and suddenly that person seems to feel it is his or her duty to make sure everyone else doesn’t like that restaurant either.
They tend to put as much effort into singing about its faults, failures and shortcomings the same way they sang it’s praises when all was well.
It’s the opposite side of the coin, but still made up of the same material. They are as passionate about noting the bad as they are noting the good.
Now I’m not tossing out the whole bushel of apples just because there are a few rotten apples among it. There are good people who just because they have had a bad experience they aren’t ready to toss out the baby with the bathwater.
They are ready instead to chalk it up to someone was a little off their game that day and concede that it happens to all of us at some and time. But for those certain people, whoever they may be, they aren’t always quite so ready and willing to give second chances.
The thing is, the attitude doesn’t really stop with restaurants. It doesn’t usually matter what it is – even churches. With this being a religious column, you had to know this was heading somewhere in that direction, right? Of course.
But I have seen it so many times over the years. Someone goes into a church and because everything is new and fresh, they fall in love with the church. They enjoy the praise and worship, they fall in love with the friendly people and they even go so far as like the way the preacher preaches.
And so it goes for a while. They invite their family and tell their friends about this great church they found until something goes awry.
They don’t like the way something was done or didn’t like that something wasn’t done, but something along the way went off kilter and the coin gets flipped and it lands face up on the opposite side.
Suddenly, these same people who one week thought the church was the greatest thing since sliced bread, now can’t find anything good to say about it. And the grudge isn’t usually gotten over anytime soon.
Churches are supposed to be in the forgiving business and handing out second chances, but they are seldom extended the same consideration. Some folks tend to forget that the church is run by human beings just like themselves and people do make mistakes, but it’s not always a mistake on the part of the church.
It could be as simple as not agreeing with a decision that was made and now they feel that same passion for making sure family, friends, coworkers and everyone else know not to attend that church.
And only God knows how many people never give the church a chance because of someone’s opinion or attitude about that church. And it hurts the church but that is not all that’s hurt.
The cause of Christianity gets hurt. Folks don’t want to get involved with a gospel where its people can’t get along. Nearly every time someone leaves a church angry and upset, the devil has a field day because he knows the hit the Kingdom of God is going to take as Christians once again show how much they can’t get along and they don’t really love each other like they profess.
If someone feels he or she has a good reason to leave a church, how about at least let others make their own mind to either attend there, or even to just give it a try. There are always two sides to every coin, but all of us, in and out of the church, should think a little more what our other side says to others.
“And they will know we are Christians by our love.”
First published April 21, 2021.
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