JR. Forasteros - November 1, 2020
Friendship in COVID
Relationships in COVID have taken a big hit - no surprise since we've had to cut down our social interactions. But it's left many of us feeling unmoored, struggling to feel connected. What does a church that's serious about relationships do in that space? We find our guide in the God who is intentional about making space to be with us.
From Series: "Catalyst in the Time of COVID"
2020 has made pretty much everything a lot harder... including faith. What does it look like to be a church in the midst of a global pandemic? What does it look like for us to continue to be CATALYST in the midst of this pandemic? We review our core values - FRIENDSHIP, DIVERSITY, DISCIPLESHIP and PILGRIM - in light of COVID and our calling.
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What is your greatest fear? Usually, we go to phobias – which by definition are irrational. But what really keeps you up at night? Fear for your safety or the safety of your family? Wondering how to make ends meet? Insecurities about your job performance, or maybe your abilities as a friend, spouse, or parent?
I want to talk about power and weakness.
We spend a lot of our lives trying to minimize risk, to protect ourselves, to keep from being vulnerable.
We’re vulnerable. We don’t like to admit that. And we want to avoid that vulnerability. We want to protect ourselves and those we love.
But to be human is to risk. We’re not fully human unless we are vulnerable. If you teach your child to walk, they’re going to fall down. If you send them into the world, they’re going to get hurt. You COULD just never give them any power of their own – never teach them to walk or speak or feed themselves or educate them in any way. You could exercise full authority over them and keep them safe.
To take away their power like that is to keep them from being fully human. In fact, the only way to raise a child well is to give them power, which then opens them to risk. To deny someone power, to take away their God-given authority to act in the world is to deny their humanity.
We can’t exercise our God-given authority in the world unless we choose to be vulnerable as well.
Following God means choosing to risk, to open ourselves to God, to our neighbors, to the world. That’s scary, but God is bigger than our fears. Today is not about avoiding risk, but embracing risk and trusting that God is faithful to bring life when we are faithful to follow his calling on us.
