Baby Showers Are Evil

For many years, my wife and I have been puzzled by the fact that whenever our church throws a baby shower for someone, they usually end up leaving the church shortly thereafter!

We bend over backwards, we spend the big bucks, we make sure everyone's invited, but in the end... they leave.

Either baby showers are evil, or else we've got to start admitting to ourselves that we throw really sucky showers!  :O

Seriously though, I know that the scriptures urge us to give, expecting nothing in return (e.g. Luke 6:35) -- and that's fine.   But what's the deal with baby showers?  People stay when we throw them a birthday, graduation, or confirmation party. 

Several years ago, it felt as though a particular "expecting" couple started attending just so they could have a larger church throw them a shower.  As soon as the baby was born, they skidaddled.

Maybe I should teach more on having a spirit of gratitude, or on community, or on commitment, or on forgiveness (ouch!).  Maybe I should have people sign a "Baby Shower Contract," agreeing to stay connected with our community of faith for a mimimum of 12 months after their shower is held. Maybe I should just shut up and consider all this an opportunity to joyfully suffer for Christ. Maybe I should just be thankful for the few months these dear ones are a part of our congregation.

Or...maybe I should view baby showers as missional endeavors, begin soliciting contributions for them and then start offering them to the people in our city.

Am I totally crazy, or have you ever wondered about stuff like this? I'd really like to know.

Maybe baby showers are evil.  But Jesus would probably go them anyway.

Hmmm. That's got me thinking...  WWJBTBS? (What Would Jesus Bring To a Baby Shower?)

Comments

[tammy]

and the family is the traditional group that throws showers for the first baby. with the help of a few close friends sometimes.