At my church, we’re in a teaching series called, “Everybody”. You might imagine, this is a series about Christian community—including, involving, and celebrating the importance of—others. I suppose any theme or chosen text has the potential to leave us saying, “Yeah, yeah, yeah…” or “Yes God.” What about this one?

Yesterday, as I was listening to the sermon, I was remembered Eugene Peterson’s introduction to the Book of Luke in The Message. The first time I read this short intro to Luke’s Gospel, I had a big “Yes God” encounter. Though I already “knew” the truth Peterson illustrates in this short essay, I had not heard it put so convincingly. I felt as though he and I had broken break together all our lives, and he was writing out of my experience.

He writes of how people long to be on the “inside” and once we’re “in” we keep others “out” so we can stay “in”. He writes of how terrible it is when this happens in religion—and it often does. (My paraphrase is terrible, so you might to go to The Message and read it for yourself. Btw, I couldn't find the intros online, so you might need to look in an actual "book.":)

Sermon series like this one, and short lessons like Peterson’s unburden me. They help me focus (whatever sense of) personal or corporate calling I have (at the moment) on just one thing: Katie, reach past yourself to others. That phrase, “reach out” is tired, so it scarcely serves us these days. Nevertheless, I can't think of a better way to say it, because that simple verb and preposition state our mandate: Reach out.  

This morn I’m reflecting on our shared history and all the reaching out that God has done by human beings.

Remember the remnant communities in Israel who shined in the darkness so that foreigners could find their way to Zion? These people preserved Scripture, worship and God's "house" until the time of Jesus. Remember Jesus, our savior, who fed us and washed our feet? Remember Peter who went to the house of Cornelius? Remember the Church in Jerusalem? They listened to Peter and welcomed the Gentiles into their faith circle. Remember monastic communities who welcomed strangers, and still do? Remember how Martin Luther invited us to read the Scriptures and broke up the insider-elite who lived as a priesthood rather than priesthood of all believers? Remember Martin Luther King Jr.?

Can you add to my remembering? Who has reached out to you, either in history or in your day?

God’s best this week,
Katie