odd day in church today. unusually emotional and i'm not really sure why. the sermon was fantastic, as usual, but something about it hit me hard. i've been struck by this new life i'm living recently, as if all of this preaching about being on the edge of the promised land and all that that necessarily comes out of Deuteronomy somehow applies directly to my life. there is a new life for me to grasp this day, a new identity for me to take hold of and affirm. what kind of life would it be if we were to really sit and listen to the poor, to the unworthy? to sit with, care for, sing to, love on those that remain forgotten--today i was reminded of that awesome responsibility. and the awesome thing about it is that it has nothing to do with our own desire to fulfill someone else's need. rather, it's about being Jesus, letting Jesus become incarnate in our flesh, in our time, in our ears and eyes and nose. what does it mean to befriend the stranger, to love sacrificially? how much do we give? how much do we save? how do we navigate the incredibly complex and sticky issues of reconciliation? how do we forgive? how do we live wisdom and love right here?
it's beginning to take hold of my conception of what kind of youth pastor i am. for a long time (and still, really), i didn't even want to see myself as a youth pastor. i was a youth sponsor or helper, but i didn't want the responsibility or the title of "pastor." but whether i like the responsibility or not, i have it. so i guess i might as well embrace it. that aside, these kids need something new to define them. they need a new identity. they need more than what the streets and the industries give them. they need their new identity in Christ. so how do we (the church, not us as individuals) give that to them? how do we provide them with an identity that is not ours, not just a different culture's identity, but truly the identity given to them by God? that's a hard question with many and sundry answers, none of which hold all of the answer. in fact, i would not at all mind your input here. but i've got to go. i've got homework to do. even natural disasters can't get me caught up, apparently.
peace.
2 comments:
do we give them their identity? God should give them their identity, I think. at least that's what i'm trying to let happen in my life. but if you figure out a way to give people their true identity can you give me mine while you're at it?
my idea is let's just try to love them like family and see what happens.
but that is giving them an identity. it is intentionally telling them that they are part of our family. that is an identity. the question becomes when we step in and make a big stink and when we lay low and see what happens.
and we do give each other our identities every time we see one another.
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