Pumpkin-spiced saints
Dear Saints!
It’s fall, already and officially! 2021 is nearing towards an end. Which I always find astonishing considering that I still use “2020” as the code word for the experiences of the past 19 months. Easily forgetting, that almost half of that time was spent in the actual year of 2021.
It's fall. The time when we get ready to cozy up with pumpkin-spiced everything. When we make plans for family gatherings around Thanksgiving and Christmas and start shopping for presents to show our love to the ones we care for deeply. In some cases, that means packing backpacks and writing Christmas cards to our unhoused neighbors as I have recently seen in one of our members’ home. Their living room is literally packed with boxes of backpacks and supply kits and handwritten cards. So much love went into this, so much love will be felt by the people receiving those gifts. It’s more than just a backpack with necessities. It’s the gift of knowing that people in our community care about the most vulnerable out there, that our neighbors aren’t forgotten. That we see them and care for them.
At our book club this week reflected on the question whether and where we have seen God in another person’s eyes. Some of us had examples. Many said that seeing God in others is a hard task because we tend to look for the perfect when searching for God. What might help us here is to look to Jesus. Yes, some recognized him as God’s son. Yet, to many he wasn’t perfect enough. A traveler without a steady address, hanging out with a bunch of guys, often living of other people’s grace and generosity. In Jesus God showed up in a perfect way that looked imperfect or even broken to many. Perfect, because Jesus saw others, listened to their experiences, spoke truth into their realities, served them, and accepted service. Jesus saw God’s kin in everyone he encountered and let people see a glimpse of God through him. In other words: Jesus truly loved whom he encountered. Even the traitor, the persecutor, the liar, the criminal, the tired mom, the exhausted dad, the hard-working woman, the outcasts, the prostitute, the gangster, the corrupt and the tax evader and everyone else.
During this season, in preparation for Advent, I invite you to participate in a Spiritual Practice with me. To try seeing God in other’s eyes. To actively look for some connection, some truth, a way to serve and be served. It will be a challenge and an even greater blessing!
12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. (1 Thess 3,12)
Have a great, fall spiced up with pumpkin and people!
Pastor Tia!
