modern parable...

Here's the church
Here's the steeple
Open the door
and here's all the...

People?
Where did they go?

They went their own way
clustering themselves in like-minded fellowships
so that they would not have to
be disturbed
bothered
pestered
by those
who had other life stories:
experiences
relationships
nouns
verbs
adjectives
describing God's grace and claim.

Instead they went their own way
cloistered
in isolated islands
of nurture and support.

The so called "fellowship"
went their own way
opting out of the
insight
and blessings
that come
when traveling in the footsteps of Jesus
who opened doors
and eyes
and minds
and hearts.

Follow in the footsteps of Christ
and we find ourselves in
unexpected places
among unexpected people

that is
unless
we cluster and cloister
in like-mindedness....

that is
unless
we choose
only to live with those we choose
rather than live with those
God chooses.

There is a misconception.
Not everyone in the church wants like-mindedness.
It is possible to live and celebrate justice
without demanding
we think alike
act alike
look alike.

One of our family members
Dietrich is his name
wrote:

"Those who want more than what Christ has established between us
do not want Christian community. They are looking for some extraordinary experiences of community that were denied them elsewhere. Such people are bringing confused and tainted desires into the Christian community."

I for one
will risk the cost
that comes with justice
that comes with living in a community of diversity.

I for one
will
take
the risk
to follow
where God leads
even when statistics
property
pension
and
are prestige at stake.