Recently, I went to check out an informational meeting held by a seminary that offered local extensions here in Georgia. It was a whim, a last minute idea that hit me the evening before the actual meet and greet. I have always been intrigued by the thought of seminary, but have never taken the plunge....why? I really don't know and at 40 years of age, it seems pointless now. But I still like to research them all. Just to see what's new that I may pick up on and read...see what new ideas are coming out of the different schools, etc....Call it continuing education of continuing education.
Any way, as I walked into the building where the meet and greet was being hosted, I noticed something odd...everyone was my age or older...or so I thought. As we went around the room, introducing ourselves, everyone was shocked to find out I was 40 years old with 17 years of ministry background. Most in the room were actually younger than me, by only a few years and none of them had more than 3-4 years worth of ministry experience. The guy leading the meeting even asked me if I wanted to get up and teach a lesson, and I told him wisdom doesn't always come with age and everyone laughed....I felt accomplished that I had fired one back...and it was a good one.
So, as we went around the room, a guy walked in with an entourage... that's the only way to explain it. The guy in the front, was much taller than everyone else and looked like he had just come from an Old Navy commercial shoot. He had turquoise shorts on...an aqua, collared shirt...aqua colored ankle socks and turquoise rimmed sunglasses...the rest of his followers were dressed in baggy khaki shorts and t-shirts (my kinda guys)! Oh, and half of the aqua collared shirt was popped up...I am guessing, to draw attention to his stellar face, which had a permanent crinkle in the side of his mouth, that exuded confidence or he had some jokes going on in his head, which caused him to stay smirky (I think I just invented a word)...
Now, before I dive in to what I want to write about, I was purposely painting a picture for you to get the idea of what I saw as this guy walked in to the room, and what everyone else at the table saw as well. I have been doing this long enough that other ministers don't impress me with their entrances, haha! I have been to enough youth pastor gatherings where Jesus and theology were talked about FAR less than "how many you runnin." I always felt out of place and a but sarcastic at those meetings because I didn't fit. But as I have matured, I know that everyone comes with a shtick ..everyone has an angle to ministry...as we should. It helps develop an identity pretty quickly with the church and the people you have been led to minister to and become a part of. I, in no way had any preconceived ideas about this guy and his "peeps" as he entered the room. I saw a person, walking into a meeting and disrupt the whole flow. That's all I saw....so,
Being the people watcher that I am, someone who loves sociology and human communication, I gazed around the room as the meet and greet leaders tried to refocus the room. My eye caught a younger fellow and his girlfriend...at the time, I didn't know how old they were but found out later, they were in their mid 20's... the second youngest in the room. I noticed his eyes roll when the "aqua-man" entered the room and he leaned over to his girl and said, "Frat Boy...obviously a frat boy." She then agreed and they whispered something else and they both chuckled.
My first instinct, because I am ADD, was to try and figure out and find out what they had said...my mind was racing with analogies, obvious statements that could have been said and mean thoughts that could have been shared. But, just as bright as the sun was beaming in through the half closed blinds, right into my face....I heard God strike my heart and ask, "so what if he's a frat boy...what's that of any concern to you?" And I agreed!
I mean really, who cares. So maybe he was (and he was, finding out after his moment to talk), why should that matter? Why should that make a difference to anyone? Why do we even feel the need to make a comment of characterization? So being a frat boy automatically comes with jokes and laughter? I mean, I get the fact that there is a stereotypical idealism to frat boys, but isn't that called judgement...the wrong kind of judgement...not at all accountability, as Paul directs the church to do all through his Epistles to other churches as they are setting up instructions and guidelines for these small start up church plants.
I am reminded, in a strange way, of the conversation that Jesus had with Peter in John 21. Peter was being reinstated by Jesus, after the 3 denials and then running away. Jesus asked Peter on 3 occasions, " do you love Me?" and all 3 times, Peter answered with "yes, you know I do." So if Peter had stopped there, everything would have been cool. Jesus was now basically telling him that His path would end up in death, not so well. Once again, just like in Luke 6, Jesus said to Peter, "follow me." Ok, so now Peter has the news, seems to be getting it, right? Nope....after those instructions Peter obviously didn't pay any attention to them because his the whole "death" thing, he looked at the apostle John and said..."what about him?" Now, the Bible goes in to a little detail about what Jesus said in return and I'm glad it does...because we have a moment when we get our marching orders and instead of focusing on them, we want to make sure everyone else is going to die a martyrs death too, not just us and Jesus says, "what's it to you?" I have plans for John and I have plans for you...let that be enough. Leave it alone.
That passage rings so loudly in my head when I think about this random meet and greet I was a part of, for a few hours. Now, this guy, chuckling over the frat boy's entrance wasn't being given marching order by the seminary team to go die for the gospel...they were just explaining how to get in and what would be required of each student...hmm, kinda the same principle. I heard very loudly in my heart that morning..."what's it to you if that young fella is a frat boy..." Why do we feel the need to make commentaries on the lives of others around us, when they are just simply, without any harm to anyone else, being themselves. What does it really matter...what's it to you?
Because honestly, the church will never get it's act together if that is what we are doing. That is division in the church...it creates an immediate us and them....it's a characterization of someone before you ever get to actually see the "Jesus " in them. Let's take a look at our own moments where we may have been just like Peter and really listen to what Jesus is saying to him...it's not that hard to understand...it's just hard to obey, isn't it? Maybe we aren't as well off as we might have thought...
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