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A
few weeks ago when we were up in the steeple we discovered that one of the
round windows was both open and damaged. While not an invitation for
trespassers, given its height, it definitely welcomes in the birds, bats,
and stray dragons! I am a little surprised that when we rang the bell we
weren’t overtaken by belfry bats. While part of God’s good creation, flying
rat-like creatures just aren’t my favorite. It is a good thing we
discovered this window, as you can’t see it from outside on the church
property. The sanctuary roof blocks it from view.
However,
the other day I walked over to Dave’s Marketplace to get some kind of treat
to awaken me from my heat and barometric pressure-induced sleepiness. Guess
what? You can see clearly the open and broken window from Dave’s! (Can you
see it in the picture above?) We just needed another perspective. I wonder
if folks had come out with their shopping and thought, “hmm, that window is
open. Weird.” Or maybe they didn’t. I find it interesting that the more
familiar a thing is the more we might not see it. Who here has spaced out
on a much-driven route only to come back to attention and realize you got
to your intended destination but don’t actually remember seeing the things
you passed?
I
love new perspectives, but I’m not always good at finding them. Sometimes I
walk around and around a project or problem without being able to figure it
out, only to have a new perspective dawn on me because someone else
contributes some wisdom.
Prayer,
meditation, and Scripture reading can be like this. We think we know it and
then something shakes us up. When I went to Israel in 2005 I discovered
that compared to the Puget Sound the Sea of Galilee was a lake. And that
mountain Jesus climbed with his disciples? It was not Mt. Rainier! It took
a new location to give me a better vision of what the Gospel stories looked
like.
In
John 2:4 Jesus says something that sounds suspiciously like sass to his
momma: “woman, what concern is that to you?” Seriously. How rude. But,
there is another perspective. Musa W. Dube, a New
Testament scholar from Botswana, interprets this as a statement against
patriarchy: Jesus called Mary “woman” and in doing so gave her full humanity
in a context that would strip down to a subservient child-bearer. I would
never have seen this perspective had I not read Dube’s work.
I
have invited us these past two weeks to engage in regular listening to and
talking to God. I want to include in that invitation the idea that by
listening and praying together we can expand and shift our perspective on
God beyond what our own experience can give us. Reading the Bible together
with other Christians, especially with Christians who have different life
experiences than our own, helps us to be more honest with ourselves and to
see God more fully through God’s presence in the full body of Christ.
How
can you better position yourself to gain a broadened perspective on who God
is and who God is calling us to be, individually and collectively? Who
might you read the Bible and pray with? One commitment I have made is that
in my sermon preparation I am using commentary resources from authors from
historically marginalized groups - including Jewish resources on the New
Testament. Bible study, Sunday School, prayer groups - the church has
historically used these forms of Christian education to provide spaces
where folks can read and pray together under the influence of the Holy
Spirit. While we are discerning our way forward as a community, I invite
you to find ways to pray and read Scripture together with one another -
perhaps you will find a new perspective!
Blessings,
Rev.
Dr. Amy L. Chilton
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