Article April 25, 2011 Issue

The following was written in support of Church Alive, a focus of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, that explores the meaning and possibilities of awakening to the spiritual basis and impact of Church. 

Church is like a box of rocks

By Sarah Hyatt

Church is like a box of rocks—that simple comparison has given me courage and strength to work through some pretty tough patches of church membership. We all know what happens when a bunch of rocks are placed in a container and shaken long and hard enough—the rough edges are worn away. If we think of each church member as a rock with some sharp edges (perhaps pride, selfishness, anger, self-righteousness, and criticism), and church work as our box, we can see that we all have multiple opportunities to have our sharp edges smoothed by interactions with our fellow rocks!

Peter invites followers of Christ to “[come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ” (I Peter 2:5, Amplified Bible). If we think of each church member as a living stone in the “structure of Truth and Love” (see the definition of Church in Science and Health, p. 583), then we can expect that each one has been perfectly carved by our Maker to fill that individual spot. There can be no competition for a spot, no jealousy, no pride, no sense of a lack of worth and value. That’s the metaphysically sound starting point for a church of structural integrity!

We all have multiple opportunities to have
 our sharp edges smoothed by interactions
 with our fellow rocks!