Who we are for
Never did I imagine that putting siding on a house would count toward the ‘other duties as assigned’ portion of my job description. This past week, on the annual mission trip with the Appalachian Service Project, I discovered myself doing exactly that. Twelve of us from St. Paul made our way eastwards and spent a week doing major home remodeling for families in need. For these two families, the discovered grace was a gift of a healthy and comfortable home before winter. For those of us serving, we discovered God’s grace in prayers answered and new understandings of hope.
But for me, I discovered God’s grace in an unexpected way. Grace showed up in the people I worked with. I have no construction experience. I was proud to just have a hammer to bring along. I was seriously concerned during our twelve-hour drive that I would be more of a hindrance than a help during the week. Turns out, I had all the support I needed.
In our work crew we had an engineer, a carpenter, a planner, a go-getter, and a life-of-the-party. The engineer took me under his wing and walked me step-by-step through exactly how foam insulation goes up on a house. He showed me why a square is important, and that physical labor is more rewarding the longer you keep at it. Our carpenter had the vision for the whole project, and kept us on track, giving encouragement and praise when we were feeling a little frustrated. Throughout the week, I discovered that all the participants were able to be the face of Christ for one another; even for me, I was given a mentor, a leader, a friend to laugh and joke with. Despite my inexperience and worry, God showed up through others.
Who we are and whose we are (i.e. God’s children) are important foundations of our life of faith. But who we are for is just as meaningful. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul says that each of us is one part of the whole body of Christ. Just because the ears can’t see or an eye cannot touch, it doesn’t make them any less important to the body. It’s the same for us. Just because God guides our life down one path does not mean we are any more or less important than one another. Our own imaginations might prevent us from seeing all that we’re capable of. But we have each other, sisters and brothers with all kinds of wonderful gifts: carpentry, cooking, quilting, humor, the capacity for abundant joy, creative imaginations.
This is why we live together. It’s only together that we support, love, and give to each other generously. And we need that! Daily life throws all manner of stress, anxiety, hurt, fear, and confusion at us. And too many voices will tell us we have to figure it out on our own. The promise that God brings into our lives shows us that none of that is true. We don’t have to be everything for ourselves all the time. We are created and empowered to be for others the very things that God has blessed each of us with. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never sided a house; if you’re taking your first steps toward sobriety; if you’re summoning your courage to face grief; if you’re preparing your family for a new birth; our lives are lived together, for one another.
K.D. Kalber
Thanks for this very important message, Pastor Mac. It’s very timely.
Audrey Keeney
Thank you for sharing this. We need to remember this and live by it. The basic for living in “community”.
Jane Strittmater
Thank you Pastor Mac, for the good words of encouragement. Good thing to remember to help each other along the way.
– Thank you for your help on the mission trip
Linda Creighton
Thanks Mac.
Marcia Willi
Living life for each other and helping each other along the way; so very important to remember, Pastor Mac