We are all misfits and loners, whether we know it or not. Anyone who thinks is a misfit, for no two people think exactly alike. Anyone who feels is a misfit, for no two humans feel exactly the same about anything. As misfits, we tend to sacrifice our individual thinking and feeling for the reward of fitting in and belonging, all in order to escape from our very human and very important individual loneness, our unique and sacred separateness.
Unfortunately, church too often becomes a gathering of the sealed, saved and delivered, a church of the safe and secure. Yet “church of the safe and secure” is an oxymoron insofar as this life goes, for life is forever calling upon itself and us to change. And change, no matter how well pre-planned, is always full of aloneness, risk and uncertainty.
Time and again, the ancient wisdom of the Scriptures reminds us to be watchful of settling into lives based on the pursuit of certainty, belonging, and security. Naming this pursuit “idolatry,” the prophets of old warned against the short-lived comfort of escape from real life. They warned us repeatedly of the unforeseen dangers of the pursuit of certainty, belonging, and security for individuals and nations alike, for rich and poor alike.
What church/temple/mosque/today takes heed of this warning? What institution helps us own our misfit/loner-ness as essential to our humanity AND our holiness? …Misfit/loner-ness as essential to any authentic coming together in communal oneness! …Misfit/loner-ness essential to personal and global sanity and “wholiness“!!!
September 12, 2014 at 4:41 am
Reblogged this on God Going Rogue.
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September 26, 2014 at 4:06 pm
nice article 🙂 & I agree on a lot you stated, esp change requiring aloneness. So many people are afraid of that aspect of change that they would rather stay the same for fear of being alone. Sad because in that alone time you know your true self. xoxo Katie ps – i finally commented!
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September 26, 2014 at 8:48 pm
So glad to hear from you, Katie! You are absolutely on target about aloneness. Feel free to twitter or FB my writing. Have you read my blog, GOD GOING ROGUE sisterlea.wordpress.com? I enjoy your comments.
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