I had a God experience Sunday. The fact that it’s extrordinary enough to blog about is a little sad, really.
Roger was at the Sacred Shack in the woods so I went to church by myself. As I walked in and was greeting a few friends there, I saw and said hi to someone that I know, yet I don’t. We see each other at church, I’ve prayed about some struggles that she’s had in her life yet in the past 4 years our circles have never met in the gently spinning waltz of community. I don’t know her, yet at that moment last Sunday when I said Hi, like I had dozens of times before, I felt strangely compelled to get to know her.
I followed her into the small auditorium and down the theatre style seating and when I asked if I could sit with her, I think she was surprised. I felt awkward, like she must think I have an agenda. I didn’t, but I almost felt like I needed one. My only thought was that I needed to connect with her in some small way. During the service (a great message on FAITH by ijourney, btw) I kept being prompted to ask her to lunch. Life was busy for me Sunday so I quickly dismissed it.
The second the service was over, I heard myself ask her to lunch. My other self was scolding, telling me she probably didn’t have time, I had some work I needed to do, I needed to prepare for small group, on and on. Much to my surprise she accepted and we decided on a place close to church.
The conversation immediately ran deep. GOD deep. We parted company 3 hours later. I am much richer and knitted in spirit to yet another pilgrim on the WAY. I am reminded that on my journey of the WAY it’s not how tight the circle of ripples that make it beautiful but how many ripples there are.
Sometimes I think we’re so busy being “missional” that we miss half our mission. Our mission is not to protect our small circle of safe, like-minded people holding fast to the form and function, it’s about being purposeful in recognizing and reaching out to people that God brings into our periphery, inviting them in and continually adding to the form. To remain in a small group of people who think like I do scares me (really, it should scare you too). Inbreeding of ideas that eventually all look the same pale in comparison to those that are vibrant with the energy and spirit of many.
Often, what starts out as Revolutionary and a Spiritual Accelerant to the Way, slowly diminshes into just a drum-poounding where everyone sounds the same. Instead of being fresh wind to one another we become one dimension, mere Mirrors of ourselves. Our once Revolutionary Ideas grow hard and impenetrable from talking them to death, then they simply wither and die. We have to act on them to keep them flexible.
We must Go and Do. Sometimes our circles are so rigid God has a hard time getting in and God may look just like the person you pass and say Hi to for 4 years but don’t take the time to invite in.
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April 27, 2007 at 10:47 am
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April 25, 2007 at 9:51 am
billclark
G.
This is an interesting tension that I’m not sure I’m ever going to fully understand. Practice is important (”train unto godliness”), performance is important (otherwise what’s all this talk from Paul about running races?) but transformation is what its all about (too many versus to mention) - but what’s cause? what’s effect? what’s the means? what’s the end?
Sometimes it seems like a gestalt test - the more you look at it, the more the images flip back and forth!
April 25, 2007 at 11:22 am
obahsomah
bill clark you are always thinking!
I think the performing part is to perform before one and only one…God. When we set out to proclaim and perform our deeds as something WE are doing, not something God is doing through us, then it is showing off.
Gwen…always getting me thinking way to early! Love you!
April 25, 2007 at 12:01 pm
awarriorprincess
maybe its where the energy is coming from to begin with? maybe when we expect nothing in return? Maybe when we project the shekina shine away from ourselves? maybe when we walk away without having flown our banner at all and make people want to ask “why”?
April 25, 2007 at 1:43 pm
parke
In some unhealthy situations there really is a sense of performance. I think that it’s worthwhile noting that sometimes we mistake things for performance that are healthy. For example, non-profits frequently tout what they are doing. There is a wrong way to do this, but they know that by touting what is being done (via the power of the supporters and with the energy of the receivers) encourages even more people to jump in. And there is a certain amount of that which you’ll see Paul doing in his letters. He praises what some people over here are doing in a letter that will go around so that others will be jealous to do good things.
There’s also an element of praising God. One of my roles in life is to praise God in my writing. Part of that is pointing out miraculous moments that are clearly all God. I think another part of that though is pointing out God at work in the community around me and in the lives of those serving.
It certainly does make for a complex situation to dive into.
April 27, 2007 at 9:11 am
Gwen
True Parke, I think when there is performance but it’s not for self, that there is a bigger picture for the good of others, that’s transformance.
When I think of Performance I think ritualistic and empty, just going through the motions because we were taught that Christians live a certain way or perform kind deeds. There doesn’t appear to be any life behind it.
April 27, 2007 at 10:19 am
parke
That’s fair.
April 27, 2007 at 10:23 am
Gwen
but sad…