It has been an interesting week or so for me. It all started when I recommended that Jess study "Blue Like Jazz" with the boys in his campaigner group. One of the kids is a pastor's kid and the other kid is a guy who love the fun part of Young Life, but I have never senced that He really knew what he believed spiritually. Anyway, the PK is enjoying the book, but still finds it a little...shocking. It isn't that his parents haven't taught him this kind of spirituality or demonstrated it, but rather, I think, never preached it. The other kid is embracing this kind of faith. I faith that isn't afraid to ask questions or have doubts, but rather seeks God and trys to find the answers as they may come. It was exciting to hear that he is looking forward to learning more about Jesus.
The next oddity came at our Bible study on Sunday night. Ironically, Jess and I and my parents ended up at the same study (we are reading "Abba's Child"). Anyway, my dad was sharing this experience from several years ago. He and my mom prepared a skit for the children about "plaid people". There were two types of people, solid and plaids. The plaid people were nice and friendly and tried to accept others, but the solid people were afraid of the plaid people. The had no reason for this fear, except that the plaid people were plaid. On day a plaid person comes into their village and they all start to run away. In the process, one of them drops a teddy bear. The plaid boy picked up the teddy bear and caressed it and loved it and chased after them trying to return it. It was then they realized that he may be different, but that doesn't mean they needed to be afraid of him. That was the point of the story. Anyway, my parents and a group of people performed this skit for the kids and it went over so well that they were asked to perform it for the adults. The day came and they were all dresseed in their wild "plaid" costumes when one of the leaders came in and looked around and cancelled the skit saying that it might scare or offend some people. One of the men there was heartbroken. This skit meant the world to him because he had always been plaid and had never really fit in. Shortly after, he left the church as he never felt accepted. Today that man is in prison. I knew about the skit, but I never knew about it not being performed for the church or the results. It really struck me.
The next scenario happened last night. We were at our YL meeting with our student leaders. The boy I mentioned about who loves the book was there as he is now a student leader. We were planning on who were going to pick up for club and someone asked about a friend of his. He was like "no, he hates Young Life and he is over at so-and-so's and they say all the voodoo about Young Life". I told him to change the subject at that point as the couple he was talking about are respected members of the community and active members at our church. They have made it no secret that they think Young Life is not doing God's work and that we should have no part in it as it is taking kids away from the church. My parents and some other people have spoken about them to this on several occasions, but they still refuse to listen. However, this was the first time that I had heard that they were bad-mouthing it to the teenagers. When I heard that something inside me hurt. Many of the kids that come to our club have either never been to church or refuse to go because they feel like they don't fit in and that they are judged. The sad truth is that they are right. I wouldn't say that the church leadership judges these kids, but all it takes is one funny look and they will never come back. The feel like plaid people surrounded by solids. Part of the desire of Young Life is to bridge the gap between the church and the community. I think Christian communities are often guilty of shooting themselves in the foot. Often I believe that our Young LIfe kids have a better grasp on Jesus' ministry than our own churches. They go out there every Monday and pick kids up and bring them to club, just to hear the gospel. And when those unloveable kids come, I have never seen one of them not be welcomed with open arms. I was also talking to a kids at this meeting. He is a waiter where my mom plays golf. He leaned over to me and kind of whispered, "you know that your mom is friends and plays golf with a few lesbians". He was just horrified. I spoke up a little and told him that yes, I knew that, and that is what she should be doing. That is where Jesus would be, isn't it. He hung out with the big "sinners" in the group and treated them like humans. It reminds me of this one song. Here are the lyrics:
Hey lady sitting by yourself
I can hear them say
You don’t belong here
If your man’s away
Cause we believe in a love
That has no end
So you can either tough it out
Or you can live in sin
Just when I start to think they’ve got it all wrong
That’s when I realize the truth
Maybe they’re right
You don’t belong here
You deserve to be where there are people who care
Instead of a world
That shouts from the high road
Saying “We love like God but you don’t belong here”
Hey you with the rainbow flag
I can hear them say
You don’t belong here
Not if you’re gay
Although we all fall short
I guess some still believe
Some people can fall too far
For grace to reach
Just when I start to think they’ve got it all wrong
That’s when I realize the truth
I’m not trying to decide whats right or wrong
I don’t think that job is up to me
But they’re selling passports to the gates of kingdom come
Like they’re the ones who hold the key
But they’re not
Hey you hanging on the cross
Is it really true
When they say we don’t belong
You’ve been there too
You were a friend to the prostitutes
You were a friend to thieves
All for that your blood was shed
On calvary
Written and performed by Jill Phillips
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