Shane Claiborne, author of Jesus for President spoke at Asbury Chapel yesterday, which you can listen to here if you like. I cried almost the whole time. Shane and friends have composed a beautiful litany that is also worth the read, if you haven't already.
One story in particular stood out to me - this one about sharing communion through the fence along the US/Mexico border. Politically, I'm against the construction of any fence or wall between the countries. I think it's a fear-fueled bad decision.
But that honestly wasn't my focus yesterday. The image became a metaphor for another part of my reality: I saw us (and substitute any group here that you've ever called "us" - mine include the Asbury community, our church, our friends, my family) trying to relate to one another in a Kingdom way. There are always fences under construction, threatening to come between us - hurt feelings and miscommunication, fear, anger, shame, brokenness, pride, apathy, fatigue... The list is inexhaustable. (With apologies to Robert Frost) Something there is that loves to build walls...
But if we can meet at the border and share Christ with one another, there is hope. Maybe we pass it through a little fence, or maybe we hurl it across a river. Maybe we do it in defiance of the powers that oppose our freedom to connect with each other, risking much, serving one another with humility, grace, and love.
Maybe that kind of love can bridge the gap. Tear down the wall. Melt the fence.
1 comment:
Amberly, this will be my first time to comment. My name is Paul Houston and I was in Ryan's Method&Praxis class. It started reading Athan' blog back then. Now I have transitioned to reading this one, too.
Great thoughts on the fences, but the thing I loved most was the image you drew from Claiborne's story.
I wish I had been there to hear Claiborne. I read Ordinary Radical for Kingdom, Church and World.
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