Oops - I haven't updated the blog in a few weeks -
My schedule is hectic to be sure, yet there remains a moment of clarity now and then, which is well needed to process these new subjects. It's in these brief moments that I can begin to relax, and just be in relationship with other people. I like to share what I'm learning with my wife, classmates, and friends. I've been thinking a lot about how we share our faith with others, inside and outside the walls of a church.
Whether we're in line at the grocery store, at a bus stop, or in the waiting room at the dentists office, we strange humans (or maybe Lutherans) have a tendency to look down at our shoes, shut our mouths, and not make eye contact. Why not take the opportunity to share our faith? Too awkward? It doesn't need to be.
When we share our faith with others, we're not just giving a speech or sermon, but sharing who we are and what we think with another person who more than likely struggles with defining their own beliefs and ideals. This is part of being in community, and being in relationship. Lately I've been learning about so many new ideas and topics it's sometimes difficult to know what day of the week it is, let alone keep all the information in my head straight. I think about trying to explain it all, and I worry that I will not be able to express it, or I'll say something wrong, or the words might just come out all mixed up. It's in these moments that I have to remind myself to get out of the way and just give what's there; to let myself be in conversation.
We teach each other by sharing our stories - with friends, acquaintances, family, strangers, and ourselves. Yet often, we're afraid to share what we think, expecting to be judged, challenged, or criticized. God asks us to trust in God's own plan, and not to be afraid.
Sharing our stories, our faith, and our lives with each other leads to a richer, more vibrant, more enriched existence, and brings us closer to God. Let the conversation begin!
