Today’s Readings: Psalm 41; Esther 1:1-19; John 8:41b-47; 2 Corinthians 1:1-7; Psalm 142
There are lots of wonderful gifts that I’ve been given during the course of my lifetime. Some of those gifts have been superficial (i.e. those AWESOME e-bay gift certificates that allowed me to expand my collection of Houston Oiler/Houston Texan media guides). Others have been life-changing (i.e. the gift of our two dogs Biggie and Tupper). If I were to tell you what the most meaningful gift I’ve ever been given, chances are you would be shocked. That gift? The homophobia I’ve faced during my lifetime. “So why would anyone in their right mind say the prejudice they’ve experienced is a gift?” you might wonder. Well, I look at it this way. If I had not faced homophobia, I would have never understood what it was like for people to deal with other forms of prejudice (i.e. sexism, racism, classicism, etc.) My pain has given me amazing insight into the experiences of others – insight that has made it possible for me to walk with countless others in similar pain. I would not trade that insight for all the money in the world! This notion that our pain can be a bridge between ourselves and others is picked up on beautifully in today’s reading from 2 Corinthians where Paul wrote: “God comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, God brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 from The Message). Perhaps you have experienced pain in your own journey. If you have, I would encourage you to consider ways in which that pain might be transformed into a bridge connecting yourself and others in need. Til next time…
There are lots of wonderful gifts that I’ve been given during the course of my lifetime. Some of those gifts have been superficial (i.e. those AWESOME e-bay gift certificates that allowed me to expand my collection of Houston Oiler/Houston Texan media guides). Others have been life-changing (i.e. the gift of our two dogs Biggie and Tupper). If I were to tell you what the most meaningful gift I’ve ever been given, chances are you would be shocked. That gift? The homophobia I’ve faced during my lifetime. “So why would anyone in their right mind say the prejudice they’ve experienced is a gift?” you might wonder. Well, I look at it this way. If I had not faced homophobia, I would have never understood what it was like for people to deal with other forms of prejudice (i.e. sexism, racism, classicism, etc.) My pain has given me amazing insight into the experiences of others – insight that has made it possible for me to walk with countless others in similar pain. I would not trade that insight for all the money in the world! This notion that our pain can be a bridge between ourselves and others is picked up on beautifully in today’s reading from 2 Corinthians where Paul wrote: “God comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, God brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 from The Message). Perhaps you have experienced pain in your own journey. If you have, I would encourage you to consider ways in which that pain might be transformed into a bridge connecting yourself and others in need. Til next time…
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