Centering Us

• Sunday Discussion Group with Pastor Charlotte Sunday is August 31st after Church (last Sunday; in person and via Zoom)
• Bible Study with Seth is on the 1st and 3rd Sundays; in person and via Zoom
• Next Death Cafe is September 27th at 4pm (join us for an informal conversation around death and dying that may include curiosities, living well, and managing grief–we provide the sweetness with snacks and coffee)
• Council Resumes in September on the 2nd Sunday after Church
• Save the Date: A Spaghetti Supper is tentatively scheduled for October 18th

Watch the recording HERE. Recording posts after services are complete each Sunday (usually by noon).

It’s very easy to put ourselves first, often without even noticing that we’re doing it.  It’s very human to grab the best seat in the house. It’s very easy for us to fall into the trap that there isn’t enough space for all of us and we must “compete” for resources, space, and love (even God’s Love).  

We’re very good at compare and contrast. Who’s on top?  Who’s on the bottom?  No one likes to be on the bottom (and yet, Jesus really likes to turn things upside down).  It’s easy for us to “take the best seat”.  Or we might take the lowest, but actually believe that we should be at the highest seat or at the right hand and are secretly just waiting to be called up to where we know we belong.  

When we aren’t called up, then we start to judge who’s in the highest seat and why they’re there instead of us.  What did they do “better” than us?  Why do they deserve it over us?  We know we worked HARDER than that person who’s getting all the acclaim!  We know we deserve it more than that person.  It’s not fair.  

It’s not fair.  No fair…to whom? 

Maybe…just maybe…life is full of lessons (and repeat lessons).  

It’s very easy to zero in on our own, or only our peoples, wants and needs.  It’s easy to zero in on what we think, or our people think, is fair and right.  It is much, much harder to see the bigger picture…especially the Grander picture we cannot possible see.  

We’re not privy to the big picture…maybe that’s why Jesus is always turning things upside down and encouraging…humility.  

Humility is bringing a listening ear to the will of Grace, instead of to our own will.  How often is that still, small voice overpowered by our own screaming desires, wants, and fears?  

How often are we drowning out the suffering of others with our own worries and cares?  The more I listen to people, the more I realize that everyone is struggling in some way.  More often than not, quietly and privately.  Often the loudest complaints and grumblings are masking a deeper struggle not shared.  

It’s said that before judging, one should walk a mile in another’s shoes.  Maybe, instead of walking that mile, we could simply…sit and listen more carefully to one another.  

We also might listen more carefully to the still, small whispers of Grace.  They are there, I promise you.  

And if it’s hard to hear, which is often true, Jesus is always giving us clues to follow.  Those clues always lead us toward…Love.  Always. When in doubt, love bigger and love harder.  

Jesus is always turning things inside out and upside down. Where the lowest and the least sit in the highest seat.  Where the most powerful and rich are brought down to the lowest seat.  

What’s the first thing asked of the followers of Jesus?  Drop everything and follow me.  Sell off everything and follow me.  That is to have absolute faith that we can drop our idea that there is security in the tangible things and trust in the security of something bigger and more precious (and intangible).  

Jesus is always reorienting us toward Grace and reminding us of what is most precious.  Jesus is always encouraging us to let go of the fears that keep us from loving more and loving harder.  

Maya Angelou once said,  “I’m always amazed when people walk up to me and say, ‘I’m a Christian.’.  I think, ‘Already? You already got it?’ [because] I’m [still] working at it, which means that I try to be as kind and fair and generous and respectful and courteous to every human being.”

Sometimes, we name ourselves (which might be another way of taking the highest seat), but forget the work required.

When I first started running, I wondered…when am I a “runner”?  It was a long (and, I’m sure, really boring saga to those around me).  If I ran was I a “runner”?  How often did I have to run to be a “runner”?  Did I have to win a race to be a “runner”?  If I stopped running…was I still a “runner”?  What makes it harder is that different people have different ideas of what makes a “runner” a “runner”.

The same can be asked of a hiker or a poet.  An artist or a novelist.  A teacher…or a minister.  The same can be asked of almost any other label we can give ourselves.

Who’s to say?  Who are we comparing ourselves to?  Do we have to “make money” or have the biggest “award” to be called any of these things?  Who’s judging us (I mean, other than ourselves)?  Who’s giving us permission to be the “runner” or whatever?  

Back to Maya: ‘Already? You already got it?’ [because] I’m [still] working at it, which means that I try to be as kind and fair and generous and respectful and courteous to every human being.”

Maybe what counts is the practice.  Runners run.  Hikers hike.  Artists art.  Writers write.  Christians…Love.  Christians try to be as kind and fair and generous and respectful and courteous as possible to every human being…yes, even to those “enemies” we’re quick to skip over.  

Maybe a good phrase is, “I’m a practicing Christian.”  “I’m practicing the Way of Jesus.”  “I’m practicing the Path of Love.”  “I’m practicing.” If nothing else, it reorients us toward…humility.  

Back to our passage.  Perhaps what it is saying is that no one is at the top and no one is at the bottom.  Perhaps it asks, how can we meet in the middle?  Can we be comfortable being both the most important and also the lowest and the least?  Maybe Jesus isn’t bringing anybody “down” or anybody “up”.  Maybe Jesus is putting us all in the middle…centeringus into real community.  

Jesus gives us clues.  It’s not by taking the “best” seat, but saving that “best” seat for someone else.  And maybe that person is more honorable because of some great act they have done or some great words they have said.  Maybe that person is more honorable because they are hurting…and they are in a place where they just plain need to be seen and loved more than the rest of us in that moment.  Maybe honorable is something we cannot see to label or judge. Maybe the honorable is in that Grander picture that we cannot possibly see.

Jesus gives us clues.  Do not invite those to whom being with is an exchange.  Trust in something bigger and more precious…invite those who cannot pay you back.  

Jesus leads us. If we listen, we’re being led toward a Loving Community where there is something more precious than better and best or least and less.  A community where the Table is big enough to hold all the beloved children, focused not on who’s where and doing what or saying what or “labeled” what, but centered around Grace First.  

Jesus gives us clues for us to practice. Practicing the walk of Grace, the way of Jesus, and the path of Love is, in every moment, remembering to put not ourselves first, but to put Grace/Jesus/God/Love first, and that means putting all others first with kindness, compassion, tenderness, generosity, and humility.  

The Way is together.  There is no other Way. The Way is together.

With Love and Grace. With Tenderness and Kindness. With Compassion and Forgiveness. With Love and Peace. The Way is together. There is no other Way.