Our Privacy Obsession

One of the issues that are most prevalent in our 21st century society is the obsession that people have with privacy. Take for example the issue of abortion, to name one glaring matter. A primary argument for what some say should be the legality of abortion is that denying a woman the "right" to an abortion is violating her privacy. In many, if not most, cases even the father of the creature being aborted is not afforded the opportunity to have a say in his child's fate.

Many other examples could be offered to demonstrate this penchant for privacy. One more will do for now. Look at the fact that many school districts will encourage children, in some cases as young as elementary school age, to hide things from their parents if the latter would not agree with their decisions or desires. Thus, children are encouraged to not tell their parents they are "transexual" or they are allowed to not tell their parents they are pregnant or are seeking an abortion and so on.

As problematic as all these issues are, one of the most problematic actions when it comes to our total privacy insanity is what this obsession is doing to the church. Far too many Christians have imbibed the Kool Aid of privacy to such an extent that they think they have the right to be completely fenced off from the rest of the congregation of which they are a part. And this tendency takes place even though these members have pledged that they will not isolate themselves from the rest of the body and will be vibrant members of that body. In our own congregation, one of the things that people who are seeking membership are told clearly and concisely is that becoming a member means more than simply "being there." As members, we commit ourselves to not only caring for the lives of the other members of the body, but we also agree that we will not be the loner Christian that no one knows or remembers and who does little more than show up now and then. I recently preached a message in which I said, in part, that far too many look at the Lord's Day not as a Day but as "the Lord's couple of hours" or "the Lord's now and then day."

It is unfortunate, furthermore, that far too many within the body of Christ treat that body like an afterthought and bristle at the idea that anyone within that congregation may contact them when they're absent from the meetings of the church. Their attitude is one that says something to the effect that "just because I am a member here doesn't mean people need to know anything about me." We are commanded to love one another, but it is quite hard to love someone that is unknown to us. Conversely, I would find it very hard to believe that someone can truly love the brethren if they are not involved in their lives or allow others to be involved in theirs. I don't mean people have to know everything about you. It is important, however, to have an understanding of who you are and what challenges you're facing. Our synergy as a body only works as long as we're willing to let it work!

It is high time for us to understand that constitutional, governmental rights are not synonymous with Christian duties. As citizens of the United States we have the right to privacy, that is we have the right to be left alone and even isolate ourselves completely from anyone and everyone if that is what we want. The government will not send the authorities to your door to arrest you because you're antisocial. When it comes to the church, however, things are quite different. We are commanded to know, to love, and to care for one another (Philippians 2, among many others). If we insist on keeping our distance, then we should know that we are disobeying the Master and that such disobedience will eventually receive its inevitable consequences.