Today’s Readings: Psalm 133; Genesis 45:1-15; Matthew 15:21-28; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
If you were to ask me, “What one thing has most prepared you for the demands of life as a pastor?” I guarantee my answer would surprise you. Some people would expect me to say, “It was the fine education I received during my time in seminary.” Others might expect me to say, “It was all the years I spent growing up in church that gave me insight into how churches operate.” Still others who know me well might expect me to say, “It was the time I spent in politics that helped prepare me understand how to deal with people.” All of those are good answers, but not the right one – at least not for me. The thing that best equipped me for the life as a pastor was my experience growing up as a gay man. Let me tell you why I say that. For the first twenty-five years of my life, I led a pretty charmed life. As a white, middle-class male I had access to everything I needed 24/7: education, money, and power. In fact, I had such constant access to those things that over time I started to put the bulk of my faith in them. It wasn’t until I reached the age of 25 and came to terms with who I was that many of the doors that had previously been opened to me started to get slammed in my face. Talk about a wake up call! The discrimination and scorn that I faced as a gay man gave me something that I had never experienced before – insight into the experiences of others who had been marginalized: women, differently-abled people, people of color, those with mental illnesses, the poor, you name it. It was the insights and compassion that I gained through my own experience of being marginalized that helped me grow as a person (and eventually as a pastor) more than anything else. Paul points to the fact that all of us will spend some time on the margins during the course of our lives when he wrote: “In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in” (Romans 11:32). My time on the margins showed me the dangers of putting my faith in things produced by human beings: legal systems, financial systems, educational systems – for I promise you that all of these things will let you down at some point. It was my time spent on the “outside” that showed me the One and only place I should place my faith; for those insights I gained on the "outside" I will always be grateful! Maybe there’s a dimension of your own experience that is causing you to feel what it means to live life on the outside. If so, remember Paul’s words to us today and draw strength from the fact that the fullness of God’s doors have been opened for you and you will be whole-heartedly welcomed back whenever you choose. For that place where you are that the world might label as “outside” will ultimately lead you to the most important place of all: God’s "inside"! Til next time…
If you were to ask me, “What one thing has most prepared you for the demands of life as a pastor?” I guarantee my answer would surprise you. Some people would expect me to say, “It was the fine education I received during my time in seminary.” Others might expect me to say, “It was all the years I spent growing up in church that gave me insight into how churches operate.” Still others who know me well might expect me to say, “It was the time I spent in politics that helped prepare me understand how to deal with people.” All of those are good answers, but not the right one – at least not for me. The thing that best equipped me for the life as a pastor was my experience growing up as a gay man. Let me tell you why I say that. For the first twenty-five years of my life, I led a pretty charmed life. As a white, middle-class male I had access to everything I needed 24/7: education, money, and power. In fact, I had such constant access to those things that over time I started to put the bulk of my faith in them. It wasn’t until I reached the age of 25 and came to terms with who I was that many of the doors that had previously been opened to me started to get slammed in my face. Talk about a wake up call! The discrimination and scorn that I faced as a gay man gave me something that I had never experienced before – insight into the experiences of others who had been marginalized: women, differently-abled people, people of color, those with mental illnesses, the poor, you name it. It was the insights and compassion that I gained through my own experience of being marginalized that helped me grow as a person (and eventually as a pastor) more than anything else. Paul points to the fact that all of us will spend some time on the margins during the course of our lives when he wrote: “In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in” (Romans 11:32). My time on the margins showed me the dangers of putting my faith in things produced by human beings: legal systems, financial systems, educational systems – for I promise you that all of these things will let you down at some point. It was my time spent on the “outside” that showed me the One and only place I should place my faith; for those insights I gained on the "outside" I will always be grateful! Maybe there’s a dimension of your own experience that is causing you to feel what it means to live life on the outside. If so, remember Paul’s words to us today and draw strength from the fact that the fullness of God’s doors have been opened for you and you will be whole-heartedly welcomed back whenever you choose. For that place where you are that the world might label as “outside” will ultimately lead you to the most important place of all: God’s "inside"! Til next time…
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