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Transcript

The Variety of Excellence · The Holy Pause

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: A reading from Scripture, 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 21 and 22.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: The eye cannot say to the hand,
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: On the contrary, the membranes of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.
• 0:22
  [music]
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: In middle school, I played soccer as the star goalkeeper on our team.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: I was undersized, but I had good instincts, fast hands, and most importantly, I was fearless.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: I was an integral part of the team,
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: an anchor, the last line of defense when everything else had gone wrong.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Then something terrible happened.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Or more accurately, something didn't happen.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: When our team moved up into the high school level,
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: the size of the goals increased to full-size goals,
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: I unfortunately did not grow up with them.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: I stayed short.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: I was replaced by a new kid who was probably 6'1".
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: This meant I became a bench player.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Since then I have felt a new fear.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: The fear of being rejected.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: I suddenly felt like I was expendable.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: That my participation and my perseverance could mean nothing if I wasn't good enough.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Often it has led me to choose what I thought was safer.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: I've had enough conversations with others that I know I'm not alone in this fear.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's a sad reality of our world and unfortunately, a sad reality in many of our churches.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Many people fear being left behind,
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: whether that be age, their gender, personality, or their personal beliefs.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: There is a phrase that I've been hearing more and more regularly.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: It goes something like this.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: You don't owe anyone anything.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: It is a phrase that is meant to help you mentally and emotionally set boundaries,
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: but it's cold, isn't it?
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: There is a certain truth to the idea,
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: though it ignores something spiritual, and I would dare to say human.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: To say, you don't owe anyone anything,
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: is only to ignore just how deeply needy we are, how deeply connected we are.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: We help because we see the other person for who they truly are.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: We see us,
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: someone who is not an island,
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: but a person connected to us through history, empathy, and purpose.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: At this past Montreat Youth Conference,
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: I was a part of a conversation where we were asked the question,
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: if there was one thing about the world that you would ask God to change,
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: what would it be?
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: There were several great answers, but one stuck out the most.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: The teen said,
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: I would ask God to make it so that when you or anyone else walked into a room,
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: they wouldn't have to worry about being judged.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: Judged for their hair, how they talked, or just some awkwardness.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think this teen hit on something that Paul did too.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Being judged is being rejected.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: You feel like an outcast or maybe even a loser.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's the act of saying you're different.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: So I can say to you, I have no need for you.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Christianity says the opposite.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: Not only is there value in variety, but excellence comes from variety.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: The redemption Christ brings is not for you to stagnate in isolation or
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: to become just like everybody else,
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: but to grow in community as the diverse people of God.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: Consider this response activity.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Join me in prayer.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: God of all diversity, we walk in search of your purpose.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: We repent of the times we have made others feel left out and
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: the times we have
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: laughed at others'
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: expense.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: We pray for eyes that can see the connective tissue of this body of the Church.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: You are our head.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Guide us in your perfect ways.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: This podcast was written by Cullen Capehart and recorded by Rev.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: Elizabeth Troyer with audio engineering and editing assistance from Jermaine Taylor.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: These podcasts will always be free.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: But if you would like to donate to our online ministry,
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: you can do so at wakeforestpress.org or using the link in the description.