the giver

I haven't developed this at all, but here goes.

We (and you'll know if you are in this category) always know what it means to be the giver. We are probably the ones who serve others. And isn't that what Jesus did when he stooped down and washed feet? Yes; he served them.

But it was also a much bigger deal than that. He was taking a low position, perhaps one of the lowest. Someone has to wash the yucky feet... and who offered to take up this position? Yes, Jesus. God made flesh.

How can we teach our children to "go low?" To befriend the lowly at school (which is difficult at their elite private schools)? How can we teach them to take up a position side-by-side with the poor instead of just above them? To be among each other. And can I even speak to this when I, too, am almost always the giver? Can we stand side-by-side and enter into suffering? Do we know what that means?

And is that at all what we communicate from our Church leadership? I fear the answer is mostly no.

Our efforts to create service projects, give away our old things, teach our Church body to go out and give away to people. Those things do serve their purpose; and yet often times they hurt the already open wounds.

[Re-envision. Awake, my soul.]

I am not speaking of voluntary poverty here; I am talking of enough. less. uncluttered. potluck dinners, where everyone can bring something to the table, and it is honored, no matter how big or how small. "freedom parties," where we celebrate freedom, even if only freedom from their addiction for those 2 hours when we're together; also to celebrate in hopes of the lasting freedom that we can have by way of Jesus the Christ.

Let us serve. give. and let us allow ourselves to be served. Let us move in, stand beside, work together.

we will walk with each other, we will hand in hand...
and they'll know we are Christian by our love