I vividly remember the reactions I received when I was in high school and I decided to take French instead of Spanish. Most people told me that it was stupid–that’d I’d never use French, and that I needed to learn Spanish. Now sure, there was some truth to that, though I did go to France long before I went to a Spanish-speaking country. Still, most of my friends (and both of my sisters) took Spanish, so I picked up a couple of phrases here and there.
When we were in El Salvador, I kept hearing a phrase I knew I’d heard before, and finally it hit me. “Mi gusta…”, that means I like (or to be pleasing to)! And so, excitedly, I would listen for that phrase from our translator, Carlos, or from those we were studying with. It was exciting to actually know and understand a bit of Spanish.
The more I dwelt on the phrase, though, the less I liked it (pun intended). I think it’s a phrase we use too often when it comes to our religious preferences. Actually, I think it’s a justification we use far too often.
I have heard again and again, as I’m sure you have, people telling you what kinds of things they like in religion, and what kinds of things they don’t. Perhaps they like instrumental music, and so they go to a ‘church’ that offers that. Perhaps they like to feel entertained, and so they go somewhere that holds their attention and makes them ‘feel’ something. Maybe it’s a specific command that they don’t like because it’s outdated or steps on their toes, and so they avoid a church that teaches those things. Whatever it is, our society is all about ‘mi gusta’.
Here’s the hard truth of the matter–and one that I must often remind myself of: It doesn’t matter what I like.
It doesn’t matter if I like instrumental music in worship (Col. 3:16). It doesn’t matter if I like sitting comfortably in my own home instead of facing possible rejection from my next door neighbor (Matt. 28:19-20). It doesn’t matter if I don’t like telling other people that they can’t get married (1 Cor. 6:9). What matters is what God likes—what God finds pleasing.
Jesus built HIS church (Matt.16:18), and sometimes I have to remind myself of that. It isn’t Emily’s church, so it doesn’t matter what I want to do in worship. It matters what Jesus wants, because He DIED for this church (Acts 20:28, Eph. 5:25). So if He wants me to use my voice instead of a guitar, that’s what I do–even if I like the sound of a guitar. If He wants me to give of my means, then that’s what I do–even if money’s tight. If He wants me to reflect on His death, then that’s what I do–even if I feel distracted or want to think about something else while it’s quiet.
Our society is very much a ‘mi gusta’ society, which, sadly, has infiltrated the church, Christ’s church. Let us, as Christians, strive daily to rid ourselves of the ‘mi gusta’ attitude, and live wholly for our Lord (Gal.2:20). Let us make decisions based on what Jesus likes, rather than what we prefer. Let us worship in a way that will please our Maker, rather than satisfy our earthly desires. Let us only, always, act in such a way that would be pleasing to God, instead of acting on our fleshly lusts.
It is such a struggle for me, but I pray that I can overcome my ‘mi gusta’ attitude and replace it with a, ‘what do you like, God?’ attitude. Undoubtedly, I will live a much more fulfilled life that way!
