Later this month I will attend a one man show portraying C. S. Lewis's The Great Divorce. Years ago I was riveted to see him perform The Screwtape Letters. In preparation for the event I have been rereading the latter.
It takes me awhile to get my head around the convoluted conversation between one of Satan's high ranking devils and his odious nephew. They are exploring tactics for bringing down unsuspecting earthlings to the dark side.
Wormwood points out the tendency of people, or "patients" to walk into church more bent on judging others in the pews, than on self examination.
"Your patient, thanks to Our Father Below (meaning the devil) is a fool. Provided that any of those neighbors sing out of tune, or have boots that squeak, or double chins, or odd clothes the patient will quite easily believe that their religion must therefore be somehow ridiculous."
Ouch. Having been guilty of such skin deep observations myself, I am convicted. Wormwood goes on.
"Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours. And the more 'religious' (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here."
A friend told me about a time when her son broke his arm. She called a neighbor asking her to watch the other children so she could rush him to the hospital.
"I'm so sorry, but tonight is my regular Bible study!"
It is painful to think that talking about what God wants us to do can take precedence over acting on it.
