do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God.
rev. diane l. givens-moffett preached at worship on the last friday of general assembly. her words have been with me ever since:
"courage is born from a deep seated commitment to God's call, not just in the sweet by and by but in the nasty here and now."
what does the commitment mean for me? i am in the process of discovering this, but have a new understanding of the "public" role of pastoring. this does not mean you are a spoke person, or a representative for some community, but rather that you are deeply engaged in communities that you are a part of--and communities that are different from yours. that humble walk is not about you but about God, and as such should be filled with compassion.
it is common to assume that any kind of public role requires a "thick skin." things will be said and done that are probably hurtful to anyone in any kind of community engagement. to the extent that a thick skin means that i do not take things personally, it is a good. but, to the extent that it kills, suppresses or covers up the compassion and love that flows from creation by God and relationship with God, a thick skin is not a good. Parker Palmer helped me to realize that i can deeply engage in the public life and retain my "softness"... there are other ways to protect my selfhood. but, as rev. givens-moffett reminded me, it is a walk, a journey that requires significant courage.
i find myself back in a "church" job and working in new capacities within the domination. i have new opportunities to engage in my communities, as well as new needs for courage to make that engagement possible. here i go!
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