Thursday, July 17, 2008

You know you are a pastor's kid when...

You know you are a pastor's kid when parables are your metaphors and you re-write them in your mind! This parable in Luke keeps popping into my head over and over, and it has for a couple months now. I imagine the reason is as much psychological as it is spiritual. It's a parable about welcome. For me it's also about how my life and friendships are changing. Here's the biblical version...
Luke 14:16-23. Jesus replied: A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' 

'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "
I know this passage is about how God invites those who are poor and crippled etc. to the banquet. But, as a personal metaphor this parable is about how my community and friendships have changed as I've come out. New people are being invited to the banquet that is my life and people I thought would be invited are not coming. Or in other words, my community is changing from those I always thought would "come" to those who do. 

Some people drift away and it is normal life, marriage, five new oxen, or maybe they fell into a well. But in some cases the drifting is a combination of life and how my coming out changes the sound of the invitation. So I've found I have been forming new communities, here where I live and with Lo. There are people who, as they find out I'm gay, feel more welcome and invited into my life than they would have before they knew. 

I love who comes into my life these days, but sometimes I miss the people who have drifted on. This morning I feel both strongly. 

4 comments:

Sarah said...

Thanks for sharing your sentiments, friend.

Zuzu said...

are you having waffles? i'l come if you're having waffles. nak. - z

Cheryl said...

I hear you. Nicely said.

(no subject) said...

i like it. and i feel the same way about the changing community. good metaphor!