"All things are possible with God." The Angel Gabriel said this to Mary, you know, as in the Mother of Christ. Mary, the one who met the angel on a hillside and was told she was to carry the Son of God was probably 13 or something and her response was to "ponder all these things in her heart." She reflected, she appears pretty calm, and she said yes.
That's crazy.
I think I would have picked an argument with Gabriel. I know I wouldn't have dealt well with the fact that I'd eventually have to explain that God is the Father of my baby, and that everyone would think I was lying. No thank you, God.
Today I had the opportunity to sit with a group of local clergy men and women to discuss some business and to listen to a devotion. I've been thinking about it most of the day as it dealt with the situation with the BoyScouts and homosexuality (see the previous blog post about this issue). Things take on a different tone when it's a bunch of pastor hanging out and discussing things. We don't all agree by any means. What we did agree on is that as Christians we are called to encourage holy conversation (this is a tenant inherent to Wesleyan theology). Holy conversation is a rare and sacred thing. It means that people can sit in the same room, discuss things, sometimes disagree, and still leave respecting each other. It takes a lot of discipline to listen to someone you genuinely feel is wrong, but allow them the space for their interpretations or opinions.
One of my clergy friends mentioned that he felt God was encouraging him to "Be Bold." It is clear that in being bold he has come under some fire from fellow Christians who are certain that he is wrong. He has been met with anger and a closed-minded mentality that he couldn't possible be right.
As I said in an earlier blog, my church has been studying the spiritual component of the 12-Step Program. Last Sunday we spent time discussing the importance of making amends. A couple of weeks ago we were challenged to examine our character flaws and to offer them to God for transformation. I have struggled with this sermon series, because these steps are very difficult and very deep. Looking in the mirror and asking myself what attitudes and actions I have taken that have harmed myself or others is a wake-up call that in every moment we have the opportunity to spread the "fragrance of Christ." (2 Cor. 2:15) If we really take a good look at ourselves there's no way we can look at another person and assume that they are not up to God's standards. Declaring that someone is beyond God's redemption cannot possible be true when we truly look into our own souls. If I want to grasp onto what Jesus has done for me, then I must realize that I am no better than any other child of God.
I mentioned in the discussion in our meeting today that I felt like the voice that shows Christianity as closed-minded, judgmental, and black and white is reigning in our society. The other pastor's weren't so sure that I was right. (Can you imagine that!! Ha!) While my terminology may have been lacking I do feel that the small fraction of folks that represent Christianity publicly are missing the mark big-time.
The world needs to hear the message of Maundy Thursday. People long to know of the New Commandment of Christ = love one another as I have loved you. We are so busy holding onto the first ten commandments that we have forgotten the most important thing Christ came to teach us. Why are we not fighting to display this commandment in our courthouses and schools?
Won't more people come to know the Living, Loving Christ if we work as hard fulfilling this commandment as we do making sure we point out the errors in our brother's and sister's lives? The stigma attached to organized religion could be transformed if all of us decided to live by this command, to take seriously Christ's call for us to follow, to share, to love.
Is this really possible?
