To touch a pharisee... Synchroblog

I almost just left you all a link to my wife's post about a month ago "50 Ways to Love Your Leper."

Then I was going to dazzle you with deep theological insight.

Then I had today.

Today, myself, along with a few fellow Revolutionaries accidentally attended a Holistic Fair. It was an accident because we wanted to attend the "Pride in the Park" the Gay and Lesbian fair but we went to the wrong park. So we ended up attending both.

And we loved it.

Coming from the evangelical charismatic tradition, and leading in it for most of the past 15 years, my excursion today would have been into 'untouchable territory" unless it was to evangelize or pray against. And I certainly wouldn't have been allowed to bring small children into a environment of palm reading and two men holding hands.

But that's where Jesus was.

I thought it was sad that nothing from Christianity was represented at the holistic fair. That's something we plan on changing next year; not to be a loud voice passing out tracks but a still small one, loving and serving, and hopefully allowing the quiet peaceful prophetic voice of Jesus speak through us.

My hope is that these two events don't land on the same day next year, because we also want to be at the "Pride in the Park" as well. Not to make a political statement, not to show them what we think scripture says and doesn't say, but to say, that we too stand against hate. And for us, your sexual orientation is a non-issue, regardless of how we believe.

We want to be Jesus to the outcasts, because Jesus was Jesus to the outcasts.

"The devil worshipers" and the "Homo's" is what some would call them. I call them people that Jesus longs for. I call them human becomings. Just as we all are.

Which brings me to very clear reality that pharisees will not approve of what I'm doing. I'll be accused of eating and drinking with witches and the sexually confused.

Which in turn, makes it harder for me to touch a pharisee.

But I'm called to love them too. Just as deeply and just as passionately as I'm called to love the outsiders. Jesus had some serious words for the pharisees of his day, but he loved them. For he loves everyone the same. He is no respecter of persons.

I know, I can be pretty good at the serious words, but not too good at the love. So, for all you pharisees out there, "Will you forgive me?" I need to love you as much as Jesus does. Harsh words and all.





Mike Bursell muses about Christianity at the Movies
Adam Gonnerman with Quickened Pen
Jeremiah at Models of church leadership and decision-making as
they apply to outreach
John Smulo talks about Christian Untouchables
Sally Coleman shares on The Untouchables
Sam Norton talks about Untouchables
Steve Hayes on Dalits and Hindutva
Sonja Andrews visits the subject here
Phil Wyman throws out the Loose Lips - A "SinkroBlog"
Michael Bennett: http://efilsicisum.blogspot.com/
Steve Hayes: Interpreting 'untouchables': from a liberation perspective
Josuel Rivera http://josuelrivera.blogspot.com