You quote me chapter and verse
As if I’ve never read them.
You can tell me with confidence
What God thinks of my sin.
You dish out the condemnation
Like hot apple pie
But only your piece tastes sweet.
I’m a problem
A category
A person to manage
Contain
Exclude.
The Lord’s table isn’t open
To people like me.
You say this with authority
But you’re not even the host.
But the church has to have standards
You say.
Set beliefs
Doctrinal purity.
Or what is it?
You ask.
Maybe a place of love and acceptance?
Maybe a place of mercy and forgiveness?
I know, crazy ideas.
The Bible has more to say about those.
About helping the needy
Seeking justice for the oppressed
Gathering the marginalized.
When was someone excommunicated
For not serving the poor?
When was someone interrogated
For being judgmental and unkind?
Jesus had more to say about
Clanging symbols and Pharisees
The sin of people
Outraged by healing on the Sabbath
Than he did about mine.
The gay divorcee
The gay man whose family has disowned him
The trans girl who is bullied to death
Do you think this is some kind of fun trend?
Some new shoes we bought on sale?
Do you think we are frivolously and flippantly
Risking everything
For kicks.
You didn’t see us cry out to God for deliverance.
Day after day
Year after year.
Nothing happened.
Nothing changed.
The promised miracles never arrived.
You don’t know the relief when we finally gave up.
God, I’m tired, I’m sorry, I can’t.
I know you, I made you, I love you.
Just as you are.
I always have.
That’s it. That’s the miracle.
We have found a God full of love and grace.
But we have found you empty and cold.
But the Bible tells us so.
Is that so.
Is that so.
The word became flesh, you know.
It didn’t just sit quietly on the page.
It walks and moves and loves
In real time and space.
Ever forward, ever onward
Amongst real people
People who don’t fit
People who try
People who fail
Gorgeous, strange, imperfect people.
Won’t you join us?
A Zebra Without Stripes 