We belong

“The weaponization of belonging is one of the most "anti-christ" dynamics I have ever encountered.”

 Jamie Arpin-Ricci

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We can argue a lot about right and wrong

We can argue about what it means to live a good life,

or if you are a person of faith, a “godly” life.

We can be on opposite sides of a million issues

both believing that we are on “God’s side” (or standing with Jesus)

The honest truth is

We are just human, and all of our interpretations and beliefs

Are those of humans

And at our most certain we probably should still conclude with,

“but I ‘might be wrong”

But there is one thing I believe is at the heart of a spiritual life

One thing at the heart of the way taught by Jesus

Inclusion

Jesus welcomed everyone

He welcomed the “least of these”

Vulnerable children

Tax collectors

Uppity Women (according to that culture)

Romans

Samaritans

He welcomed the power brokers and the super religious

The Pharisees, the Sadducees

He even, at some level welcomed Herod

God is about inclusion, about embrace

He held the little children in his arms

He helped Zacchaeus down from a tree

He lifted up the woman caught in adultery from the dust

Always embracing

Always lifting up

Always listening

Always seeking to create a bond of love

We cannot be about exclusion

Churches use exclusion to punish

They deny people access to the table of god (not very biblical)

As a country we deny people entry in safety

People are exclude from affluence, being denied a living wage, justice, and more

Exclusion is everywhere

But we cannot use exclusion as a way to coerce or minimize, or punish

For spirituality is about inclusion

And embrace.

This is not easy

This is sometimes costly (ask Jesus)

But it is the way of God

Who invites all to gather at the table of love and grace

I am working hard

Not to be the exclusionary self I want to be

I find myself driven to be…..

How about you?

Can you embrace the person who believes differently

Votes differently

Embraces different values

Its not easy.. 

I want to reject, exclude, distance

But I am called instead to embrace

We all live within the circle of grace

We all belong

We all belong to God