People Perceptions

As I drive I like to scan radio stations. I hardly ever make it to AM radio, but I did today. As the stations scanned I came across a radio host asking people to call in telling who they would be voting for president in the upcoming election. A few things caught my attention:

1. I was amazed at how people came to their perceptions of the candidates. They knew nothing about the character of the candidate; they just "liked" them and that was good enough for a vote. How scary that a position of president is left up to a popularity contest.
2. Assumptions. Callers seemed to have made assumptions with little or no information concerning the candidate other than what they've heard.
3. Why does everyone feel like they know what the youth of this country want? I heard this so much... "They are very popular with the youth of this country", "The youth of this country need this leader". How do they know?
4. The leader was chosen on what they would or could do for the individual.

The many conversations on the radio seemed to reflect church life all too much...

1. Sadly church seems to be a place where false perceptions/assumptions flow freely. What if church didn't have false perceptions? What if we saw people the way Jesus sees them? It is sad when a desire for holiness leads to a critical heart that justifies critical perceptions. What if we are so concerned with growth that none of us ever quit reaching for more of God?
2. The church seems to have almost more gossip/assumptions than society does. The church just hides it better with the "oh we need to pray for...". We have our ways of masking gossip in false concern. What if we loved on people? What if we put criticism aside? What if God's love really was the most important thing?
3. Do we know what the youth want? How? When is the last time there was a meaningful conversation totally about a teens' spiritual growth? The church assumes they know what the youth want. What if the youth weren't disregarded? What if the youth were validated and listened to? What if some of the older people listened and learned something from the younger generations?
4. Who is a leader in the church? How do we choose leaders? Because they have been around for a long time? Because everyone knows their name? Then Norm could be a leader... everyone knew his name.
   

I wonder if the church will stop mirroring society?