fail.

A friend told me the other day that her aunt and uncle were getting divorced. I cant say i was too taken aback by this comment as half the marriages in this country end in divorce-i know lots of people who have been divorced or who's parents/grandparents/siblings/aunts/uncles/cousins/etc have been divorced. I am so fortunate to come from a family (and to have married into a family) that truly displays what healthy, Godly marriages look like. I have incredible examples to follow.

 Anyways, she went on to tell me that her aunt/uncle have been married 20+ years (again, i know that just because you spend decades with someone doesnt guarantee your marriage will be happy and successful) and that they have an 11 year old child. She told me they were older when they got married and had a very difficult time getting pregnant so they are in their mid-late 50's. I asked if she knew why they were suddenly divorcing and she texted her mom to get more info. Her mom texted back a few minutes later with this response, "she got really involved in a local church and is pursuing a relationship with a man from it." to which she replied back to her mom, "great christians they are." 

we failed church. we failed again. not only did we fail the couple who is now getting divorced because no one in the church who saw the relationship budding bothered to stop it (she continued telling me that her aunt hasnt been around much apparently because she has been spending excess amounts of time with her new 'friend"), we failed the child who now will have a skewed perspective of marriage, relationships and the church, we failed the husband who is losing his wife to a man who should have respected the sanctity of his marriage, we failed my friend because this is what christians and the church look like to her.

my heart is sickened, saddened and disgusted. i know the church is not perfect, i know the church is made up of imperfect people, but i also know the church was called to live outside of this world, to show a broken, dark world what the light of Christ is and i know that to most non-believers the church is the only glimpse of Christ they see. i dont think Jesus is too thrilled by this representation of him.