Despite my move to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) many years ago, I've always considered myself evangelical. Not politically of course, as I don't see what the church has to do in politics. But, other than 2 key issues, I've always identified as evangelical. Sadly, those 2 issues apparently keep evangelicals from identifying with me. So, consider this a desperate plea from one who misses you. Also, if you aren't in that group, be aware that I'm speaking to a particular audience, with particular views I may or may not agree with. Sometimes, we have to meet each other where we are, and this is not a defense of or a condemnation of anyone's sexuality.
I sometimes feel like I inhabit multiple worlds between being a minister and a single woman and a runner and a weight lifter and a (soon to be) Spartan and a never Mudder but Roc race looks fun-er....you get the idea. Many of those independent worlds have blown up with scandal this week. I'm going to start with my fit women world, specifically my Spartan Chicks.
I love being a Spartan Chick. For those of you not lucky enough to be in the know, this is a group of women who train for and run obstacle course races (OCRs), specifically the Spartan series of races. The facebook group is amazing. We swap workouts, run maps, recipes, gym stories, plan travel and lodging for races, and shower encouragement on each other. Occasionally things get a little testy, but we always come back. A common interest that everyone is committed in will do that. The best part? The only requirements to join are be a woman, and be interested in OCR. I've not even run one of the major ones yet (either May or November!!!!!), and I'm welcomed and respected.
As much of our interaction happens on Facebook, we are sometimes united in a cause, especially if it pertains to fitness or sports and women. We are more than a little passionate about women being healthy and athletically competitive. So when this came across the feed, we got more than a little bothered. If you don't read the link, it is very simply a women's fitness magazine, Self, making fun of women for running in tutus. I'm not going to waste much time defending tutus or not. I wear them for running races because running sucks and sometimes that joyful silliness of a tutu makes it better. I really don't care who does or doesn't wear them. I do care that a magazine that exists for women's fitness would dare insult or mock women doing what comes with being fit. Apparently, I'm not the only Spartan Chick who feels this way. A wave of support from our little corner of women's athletics has risen for Glam Runner (http://glam-runner.com/). Many are very upset that anyone, especially a woman, would put down another woman for how she dared to dress while running.
Here's the deal, I'm very disappointed in Self Magazine.To mock a woman for running in a tutu is ridiculous. Sadly, it is exactly what I expect. All of us are trying to justify our existence and prove we have inherent value. The easiest and most efficient way to do that is to put someone else down. If you can show that you are above someone else in any way, you prove your value. So, Self can show it is a legit fitness magazine by showing that the Self woman is somehow better than the many other fit women who would dain to run in a tutu. I know that sounds like a silly example, but we all do it. It is how the world works. Show that you are somehow better or above someone similar, and you show that you have value and justify your existence.
Now, this is the point where my worlds collide and I get angry. The church has no business behaving this way. Ever. The basis of the Gospel is that God has already told you that you are valuable. God has said you are "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." Let's just go ahead and get a few things settled out of that verse, 1 Peter 1:9. If you are a person, especially one that belongs to Jesus (although I personally believe that it applies much more liberally than that, but that is for another post), you have already been found valuable. God himself chose you, named you royal and important, your existence is justified. You have nothing to prove, you couldn't prove a better identity if you tried. Not only that, but none of this is because of anything you have done. God did that declaring, of his own choice and wisdom. So, you didn't do it, and the response you should have is to declare his praises. Not put down others. Not demand others meet some standard that God did not require you to meet. Just declare his praises.
Here is where I'm getting frustrated and even angry. It feels like the evangelical movement in America is much more concerned with pointing out who is out, who is not meeting some standard, who is less than them...basically we sound like the world. Instead of declaring the praises of the one who called us out of darkness, we are behaving exactly like those most evangelicals consider to be still in the darkness. From the exiled evangelical's view over here, I can't tell much of a difference between between how Self behaved towards to tutu wearing cancer survivor and how American Evangelicals behaved towards World Vision this week. ( Here, for that info) Actually, that isn't true. The difference is that threatening to not provide financial support for children you committed to provide financial support to over a political issue that said children have nothing to do with is significantly more disgusting than making fun of a tutu.
You were not called out of darkness to bully people you think are still there. You weren't called out of darkness to demand that someone else meet some standard to get called to light that you did not have to meet. Grace was never about not sinning. The cross was never about behavior modification. God chose to come to this life in the person of Jesus and defeat death long before it occurred to any of us to behave a certain way. If you don't support same sex marriage, ok. What does that have to with treating people with dignity? You will never change your mind on homosexuality? Ok, that doesn't mean you get to decide how anyone else, person or God, treats someone who identifies differently than you. God calls everyone, and doesn't wait until they behave a certain way to do so.
And the more you behave that way, the more you show that God's grace toward you, the identity he gave you, is not enough for you. Which means one of two things. 1) God's grace isn't enough, or 2) we don't really get God's grace enough to be destroying the lives and hearts of those around us over our ignorance. Maybe it is time we get out of the spotlight, off the tv, out of the blogs, and back on our knees in prayer. Maybe it is time we go back to the cross, back to the empty tomb, back to the Gospel and re-introduce ourselves to the people God has called us to be. I am honestly becoming scared that we've lost that. We've gotten so wrapped up in our fear of sin (which has been defeated) that we can't even see the victory already given us.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Revelation 2:1-5
