A couple weeks ago at a routine cleaning, my dentist discovered that I had two cavities. Several years ago these words would have evoked fear and trembling, as well as screaming, crying, and acting like a wimp. All these pent up feelings stem back from when I was a child. I’m just going to lie here on the couch to tell you about it (for those of you who enjoy psychology). When I was younger I had a bad experience at the dentist. I cannot remember one particular situation where the dentist either stabbed my gums with his pointy instruments or refused to use numbing medication, but he just wasn’t nice. In fact, I can only recall one particular thing this elderly gentleman told me while showing me all the fillings in his teeth, “You see all these fillings in my teeth? Never go see a dentist who doesn’t have a lot of these because he doesn’t know how it feels and he will certainly hurt you.” Alrighty, then. That was my final visit to the dentist for many years following.

The older I get, the more I see my need for the dentist. Over the last few years I have had two wisdom teeth removed, a root canal, and an emergency root canal where I’m sure I died and came back to life. Isn’t it amazing how bad experiences can keep us from doing something which is absolutely necessary for a quality life? It is only when there is an emergency that we finally realize our need. It is a weird parallel, but people are like this with church. Bad experience at church equals abandonment of fellowship with other believers. Can I just say this plainly? You need church and so do I. Don’t give up on church because of a bad experience. Church is not a perfect place here on earth and it never will be because it is filled with people. Yes, there are hypocrites at church and sometimes I am one. Yes, there are nasty and mean people in the church and sometimes I am one. We are all guilty of making the church a bad place at times, but let’s not give up on it. I have loved church for a long time. While growing up in the south, I attended a church where there was a dress code for the all youth activities (mostly for the girls to wear culottes), drums on the platform meant worldliness, and guys with hair over their ears were rebellious, not to mention in danger of losing their salvation (just kidding - they believed in eternal security). Give me a woot, woot if you know what I am talking about. I loved going even though I didn’t like some of the rules. Most of the people there really did want what was best for my life and I knew that. Here’s my point. Don’t give up on church because of a bad experience. If you haven’t attended in years, go back this Sunday. If you are bitter toward the church, get over it. I know that sounds mean, but it’s the truth. Don’t waste your life missing a relationship with God and with other believers because one bad dentist, I mean person, messed things up. You need the church and the church needs you.

Any scary tales from the dentist that you'd like to tell?

FYI - I have a great dentist now.