Two things…
This will be the last sermon in the Like a Girl series, and in this post I want you to hear two things:
What you are good at is probably something that the world does not have because you don’t share it
If we do not choose to read women in the Bible, we are going to miss the point.
My friend, Sara, got interviewed for the whole church and she shared a ministry that she leads that connects the church with expectant mothers in our church. We throw baby showers, we bring care packages, we even have little onesies that we give to new babies. It’s very cool.
First: you are good at something.
If you ask Sara, the ministry is no big deal. She just made a form, filled out spreadsheets, and coordinated some deliveries-- easy for her to do. And I don’t know if you saw the subtle power in that sentence but those tasks are specifically crafted to break my mind. I am bad at making forms, spreadsheets, and coordinating… anything? And Sara does it like she’s sleepwalking.
And because of that, moms in our church know that they are not alone. While they are stressed out and overwhelmed they will know that there is a church pulling for them.
As a pastor, it is often my job to help people use their talents for the work of the Gospel. It’s not easy to get people to commit their time (everyone is so busy) but the hardest part might surprise you.
The hardest part of recruiting people to the work of the church is convincing them they have something to give. Most people have convinced themselves that the work of the church is for other people… people who have talents that everyone else can see that make a big splash. People that are quiet, task oriented, and data driven think that the work of the church is for other people. And we know this isn’t true.
I have begun to suspect that so many of us are missing out on GRAND adventures because we simply are living under the assumption that we have nothing to offer the world. I have an even deeper suspicion that our world is not better simply because we are not fulfilling our full giftedness. Sorry. No pressure.
We have to listen to women
Sara said something in passing during her interview I had never thought of before. I have grown up in the church. I have read the bible so much. I have a Masters of Divinity. I have never thought of this interpretation: Elizabeth struggled to get pregnant her whole life. Mary got pregnant through the Holy Spirit… not really wanting to.
Of course Elizabeth could have had some jealousy. And she doesn’t. And we learn from that.
But I never learned from that because I never thought of that because I am a man and that has never and will never be a part of my life. And here, Elizabeth teaches us because Sara taught me.
What else have I been missing? I have read womanist theology and all manner of theology and commentaries from people who don’t look like me and yet I still find that I am missing things. I wonder what new discoveries are ahead.
I am so grateful for the Like a Girl series. Not only did it teach me in the here and now but it has also exposed me to the reality that I am leaving biblical truth on the table if I do not actively choose to hear from the women around me and the women in the text.
I hope I get to see you Sunday. It will be so much better with you there.
