Recently, I had an exchange with a longtime friend, the Rev. Cindy Beck (a pastor of the ELCA). In the course of this email exchange, she said:
"How do you become part of a family? Birth, marriage, and adoption. Adoption is when the family seeks YOU out. Nowhere does one become a part of a family by looking around at pretty houses, visiting them during dinner and asking, 'Wow, you are a great family, can I join you?' Nope, doesn't happen that way. If it did, I would be living in a beautiful house with rich people who support me unconditionally."
I've been thinking about this and trying to form a blog post around it. Then this morning, I read this article at Living Lutheran and I realized Cindy's words work all on their own, without any editorializing from me.
For now, anyway.
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I've been trying to think what to say in response since last night when I read this and the blog you referenced. I had a hard time coming up with anything worth adding. Not sure whether I have or not.
ReplyDeleteI've thought for quite some time that the model of trying to get people to come to church to meet Jesus is pretty absurd, at least for the vast majority. Go love them where they are. Maybe they'll find God there, maybe they'll come to church and find him. Maybe they won't. But it's far more likely to happen if you just go love on them.
Jesus as role model. What a concept.