The Kingdom of God in Bojangles Coliseum

About a minute-and-a-half after the athletes started coming in, I wanted to knock Ethan out…He’s our Minister of Youth & Families.

He was standing right beside me, and his constant “whoop-whooping” poured down on me from his 6’2” height and echoed throughout the entirety of the Bojangles Coliseum.

 

A bunch of us from the church went to support Ben – St. Luke’s own  Special Olympian (check out www.especiallyben.com ).

 

Anyhow, Ethan’s excitement and enthusiasm were, quite honestly, more than a little annoying – at least at first.

I’m fairly certain that every person there could hear him…which, of course, was the point.

 

He made sure that every Special Olympian processing during the Opening Ceremony on Tuesday knew that they were supported, respected, seen, and cheered for. And before long everyone around, including me, took up his cause – whooping and whistling and shouting and waving for every single athlete (all 1,200 + of them) – like a bunch of crazy, star-struck fans just hoping that one of the athletes might look our way!

 

At one point, I realized that I was laughing out-loud at the same time that tears were rolling down my cheeks…

And I know this sounds a little “hallmark-ish,” but I was experiencing (if that’s the right word), or sitting in the middle of, or being overwhelmed by irresistible and inexplicable joy (truly, truly inexplicable – so, please forgive this feeble attempt at making it explicable)!

 

There, right before my eyes, the Kingdom of God took shape in Bojangles Coliseum.

There, the world was turned upside down.

There, the ones society calls the least and last, were now the first - the heroes and stars and champions.

And we just wanted to be part of it! The love and joy and excitement were palpable.

 

There was not the slightest hint of misplaced sympathy or condescension in the air – not one utterance of  “that poor child,” not a single insinuation of pity.

 

There was just Ethan (who recognized the Kingdom faster than I did) jumping up and down, waiving furiously, whooping until we all could not keep from joining in – celebrating the love and the joy and the inclusion of us all together in the presence of the Kingdom.

 

I Didn't Think Anyone Was Paying Attention...I Was Wrong

I didn’t think anybody was paying attention (You have to hear that with the “pitiful,” “woe is me” tone with which I felt it.).

I was wrong.

 

My secretary (okay – let’s be honest…my “brains”) is over-run with allergies, which are threatening to become bronchitis.

Her name is Sandra, and I can’t afford to be without her…So, on Monday when she started “hacking,” about 5 minutes AFTER she was supposed to go home, I hollered:

“Isn’t it time for you to get out of here…in a loving Christian way?” (I figure, if I end comments or questions with “In a loving Christian  way” then I get a “bye.” Kind of like when southern folks say “God love her,” or “Bless her heart,” as a license to make – hmm….how to say it…”pointed” comments).

She responded by saying:

“Yes it is.

By the way…Isn’t it time for you to get something to eat...in a loving Christian way?”

I just smiled and laughed.

And then I said, “Yes it is. Thank you.”

 

Most days, she is the one who keeps me sane.

She feeds me information on who is where and needs what.

She reminds me what I can and cannot do for people…helps me stay strong in my resolve to say “no” when that is the faithful thing to do, and is a constant resource to help me figure out how to make the “yesses” actually come to pass (I’ve needed her to bail me out on that, more than once).

She takes things “off my plate” when my pile is too high.

And she makes sure that I eat, as she feeds me a steady diet of love, accountability, God-talk (she is better at this than I am), grace, coffee and the occasional “something” that she just baked at home and thought we – in the office – might like.

She puts warmed up left-over-from-the-youth-group pizza in front of me and makes sure that I know when the soup is ready for the “Soup and Study” group – and tells me: “You’d better get in there and get some before it’s all gone!”…And she’s not even Lutheran!!!

 

Without meaning to (or maybe she is aware of it), she reminds me that I among the sheep that Jesus shepherds…That I need to be fed…That I am one of those he calls to who is “Weary and carrying heavy burdens” (Matthew 11.28). That I need to go and hide sometimes in a deserted place without feeling guilty or like I am not doing my job or being productive.

 

As we head toward Good Friday and the cross next week – may we ALL die to the illusion that we are any better than Jesus (who went away to pray or just be alone well over a dozen times in his ministry – and those are just the ones that are recorded!). And having died to that illusion, may we allow ourselves to sit in the silence and soak in the presence of the One who sits with us in the tomb of our “deaths.” May we allow ourselves to be fed (left-over pizza or communion bread) by those who are being Christ to us and who are paying attention, even when we feel like no one “sees” our tired-ness.

And may we all know that none of us has to accomplish everything by ourselves…

May we all know that we are loved and precious and sheep of the shepherd. And may we all be blessed with a Sandra (who is feeling much better, Thanks be to God!).