This afternoon a friend wrote a quote on the board in my office, "Speak your mind even if your voice shakes." My voice is shaking. It's been a rattling week for me and for many in my life since Sunday. Sunday morning I was going about business and realized that one of the connecting points for young adults in my church over the last 6 months was not connecting. Who did we miss during this time?
The same morning that I am pondering this neglect I hear about a murder/suicide of a couple who I interacted with once at my church. Once. It's often all we get. But if we get more are we prepared? Prepared to get messy as we dig deep into people's lives in love and service?
Let me ask some questions I've been asking myself:
Who are you willing to go deep with?
Anyone?
So why then do we have church? Why do we have a church with open doors if we are not ready or even willing to receive? I mean truly receive people.
Truly Receive: Smiles, hand-shakes, names, jobs, family, fun, lunch, invitation into your home, phone calls, emails, hanging out, dinner, celebrations, phone calls, hospital visits, chats, funerals, crying together, prayer. Loving people. Living life together.
Love. Live.
The paradox of insular language
3 years ago
1 comment:
Kelly you are right! I'm really sorry to hear about the loss of that couple. What a tragic end, and a confusing time for those around them.
Kelly, I agree with you 100%. We had a woman last week get up and share during open worship about how her son is being accused of sexual molestation and her family is being torn apart in the process. Having known about this prior to her getting up, my first thought was: oh my goodness she's not going to share that is she? Is she going to tell the church everything?! But as she did, as she poured her heart out, I was encouraged. Why should she sit back and smile and say everything's fine when she and her family need to be showered in prayer? Why not be real and honest? It was truly amazing, her willingness to be truthful and open. And it gave us all the chance to be truly loving towards her. We were able to come forward and surround her with prayer right there in the church. I'm glad she let us in so we could love her.
I think that is what it's all about. We suffer alone through all the pretenses and for what? Not for the glory of God, but for our own image's sake. Thank you for sharing this reflection. It is very affirming of a life God is teaching me to live.
I love you!!
-your sis, Katie
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