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This is an excerpt from the sermon I
delivered at Community Christian Church in Kansas City as part of their Lenten
noon worship series based on Colossians 3: 12 "As God's chosen ones, holy and
beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and
patience." NRSV My specific assignment
was "Clothe Yourselves with Patience." What kind of outfit is patience? It's
the ability the wait, to hang in when many would walk away, or to trust when
others give up. It is to appear comfortable even when your insides are screaming
for action. Patience is a tangible expression of faith. Patience is the ability to trust in
the longer term. Patience is asking the second question and the third question,
and really listening to the responses. Patience is receiving another person's
truth even when I don't agree with it. It is the willingness to go deeper, to
risk not doing the popular thing, and to risk looking
foolish. When we clothe ourselves with
patience, we are likely to be in tension with the reasons we usually dress - not
to make ourselves look good to others, but to seek the truth. Patience is the
gift of holding open a space for the "shy soul to show up." (from Parker Palmer's
A Hidden Wholeness). Each of us has the responsibility to
dress ourselves, to choose the behaviors, actions, and attitudes that reflect our values and
our priorities. These are choices we make. The community of church, synagogue,
and mosque exist, at least in part, to help each of us come to understand the
values of God and to embrace them as our own. It's up to us to find the balance in
our lives. How much is enough? What do we need for our lives to be full and
meaningful without having too much so that our lives are distracted,
self-absorbed, or superficial? How much do we value being able to contribute to
the welfare of others and the improvement of our world and its people? These are
choices each of us can and must make. They are the clothes we
wear. Every day we are Church -disciples
every moment of our lives. Dressing for success means not only noticing, but
embracing the brokenness around us, and within us. It also means noticing and
embracing the beauty around us--in the world, in community, in relationship, and
in all of our lives-not just on Sunday and not just here. The author of
Colossians reminds us cultivate thankfulness, a process that can require
patience. Let us take this Lenten season, then, as a time to hold open a space
in our lives to let the vision of Shalom have free run. Let's give it
plenty of room in our lives and sing our hearts out to God!
Thanks for continuing
to bless me as we journey together. |
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