Outside the Circle...

Dear Family,

In the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, there is a constant battle, although it is not physical, between the elf and the dwarf. In fact, until the end of the narrative, when the two of them realize their deep fondness and appreciation and love for one another, the banter between them flows like comic relief for a series of book wrestling with deep theological questions. Why don't they get along? One lives in caves, under the mountains. The other lives in trees, talks to trees, and moves with a deep mystery and poetry. The dwarf is short, fat, loud, and approaches life with an ideology that braun matters most. The elf is tall, slender, sleek, gentle, grace personified, and uses the power of their mind and intellect to do what needs to be done. They could not be more different from each other, and there is a genuine dislike for each other. So much so that when the elves gather, dwarfs are more than not welcomed, they are targets for ridicule and possible violence, and it is the same treatment of the elves if they find themselves among the dwarfs. Two cliques that close their doors on the other, the outsider, the one who is different.

Have you ever felt that way?

Have you ever been the outsider? How did that feel? What was your reaction? Did you break down the walls and get accepted? Did you leave that place vowing to never return?

Have you ever excluded? Judged? Prejudiced someone because they were a different race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation?

Our world is built upon the foolish notion that in order to be a healthy group, community, we must all look and think alike, and we hadn't dare let someone different into the group. They just might change the dynamic and appearance and direction, and we all know how much change is embraced, right? But as i reflect on this abhorrent behavior of leaving those who are different out, i have to look myself in the mirror. I do it too. I am guilty of the same abhorrent behavior that i, all too quickly and zealously, like to condemn. I like to point fingers, judge as less than, and make sure that certain elements of society never grace my door. Sure i can justify it by saying they are not good people, they are racist, violent, mean, but how is that different? It isn't.

The one thing i can take from this hard to swallow pill is that Jesus did it too. Yes Jesus excluded, at least initially, someone because of their race and gender. The narrative of the Canaanite woman illustrates that Jesus tried to ignore her and send her away, and if we take the text seriously and honestly, he calls her a dog, suggesting that He, Jesus, came for the children of Israel and it is not right to take food for the children and give it to the dogs, a racial slur and label for the people of Canaan. Jesus did it. Does that make it ok? No.

Why? Because Jesus doesn't stop there. After the woman refused to accept the label and her lot in Jesus' eyes, she persisted in demanding Jesus to heal her daughter. Her refusal to give up moved Jesus' heart and He responded to her faith and perseverence by healing her daughter. As i read and reread this story; something powerful hits me. This is less a story of Jesus healing; it is more of a story of a woman's faith and refusal to let society keep her down. It is a story of drive and self-love. It is a story of justice and equality. And in this narrative, even in the Jesus friendly Gospel of Matthew, Jesus comes across as the antatgonist, the person by whom the lesson must use to teach, and the woman, though unnamed, comes across as the heroine.

If we all label and exclude people, how can we help them break free from these chains? If people label and exclude us, how can we keep their limited understanding of who we are from holding us down? How can we stand strong and remain true to ourselves and our faith and our identity as children of God? How? We, like the woman, must continue vocalizing our right to exist, but we also must, like Jesus, be aware that sometimes we need to offer that chance to others, because in the end, aren't we all God's children? Amen..

Shalom,
jerry