It sometimes seems that the church is the very last place one finds human kindness.
Sure, I know that "human kindness" isn't on any list of theological virtues, nor is it to be found in the scriptures.
And yet, that fact is not license for cruelty, indifference, lack of compassion in the church.
Yes, we have candied the concept of love, made it a syrupy emotion.
That is no excuse to turn love into its opposite.
As Christians, we ought to look as these matters in light of the Incarnation. One way to understand the Incarnation is in terms of acknowlegement and recognition. In Christ, God chose not to ignore us. In Christ, God's eyes see us, acknowledge us and all we are. Those eyes are compassionate eyes, eyes that do not pretend not to see.
Our understanding of church is that we are the Body of Christ, in a most realistic sense. It is not simply a metaphor.
This means that our eyes must also shine with compassion, recognition, acknowledgement. Salvation means that our eyes have been opened, have been transformed, to so shine.
When we do not find that human kindness in the church, we need to find places where it does exist, create places where it is able to exist, and take refuge.
I found a refuge from the church in a very unexpected place. I found myself in the retail business after serving a church for 21 years. Can't resist the temptation to compare the church and the retail worlds! In two short months, I saw plenty of contrasts: a Middle-Eastern woman, who hides her face behind a veil, and a transgender guy, who fearlessly displays his/her new breasts to the public. I was told that money doesn't have gender. Dollars are still dollars. Gays, lesbians, blacks, greens, immigrants... Does it really matter?
ReplyDeleteThe world of retail is more accepting, more encouraging, and more sincere than the church world. How refreshing to be appreciated after being pointed at my accent for way too long.
As for me, I still have my accent but, if in the church I was criticized for having it, in the world of retail, I am praised for it. I'm told that people are curious of someone who is different from them. In the church, Christians look down at those who are different.
Today, I was told that I have an accent.
Here we are again, I thought.
But no, the comment was made not on my way of speaking, but on the "accent nail" on my left hand. Yes, I have an accent nail. It's blue with glitter. I didn't plan to have one trying different nail polishers, but it was pleasant to be noticed for something rather than manner of speaking. The retail world calls for self-expression and fun. Very refreshing.
Thanks very much for your comment, Lydia. I am happy that you have found refuge in the world of retail. It seems to me that your experience bears witness to a truth that it is often hard to see when one is deep within the (sub-) culture of a parish: namely, that the Word enlightens every person who comes into the world (as the Gospel according to John says).
ReplyDeleteSo (to continue with the Johannine theme), when you experience the "world" (in the Johannine sense) in the midst of the church (for example, comments on your accent), then it's possible and necessary to find the enlightening work of the Word in the wider world outside the visible boundaries of the church.
I know that what I've just said begs the question of what we mean by the boundaries of the church. I'm working on a fuller discussion of that issue.