christopherhildreth

I have always been struck by the fact that Jesus was drawn to people who were in the margins of society. His focus tended to be on those who were off the center, or even “off the grid”. It wasn’t as though he happened to see them and went over to them. In many cases he deliberately sought them out. He didn’t talk to them after he felt guilty for not talking to them. In stark contrast to our first reactions to those different than ourselves, he went to them as though he had never entertained the thought of passing them by.

I wish I could say that I have never passed people by – but I have. I have seen people, but been busy with something and have walked by. I have seen people and hoped they didn’t look at me so I wouldn’t feel guilty about not talking to them. I wish I could say that every needy face I have seen was respected and responded to, but I can’t. Why am I drawn to the glittery center and Christ to the margins? Why does centrality suit me, but the edges suited Him?

More than anything this year I want to become the friend of the margins. I want to gaze into the face of the marginalized and see myself in their eyes. I want to respond and “do” for them what Christ “did”. I want a real palpable love to come forth for them and when it does, for it to change me.

This entry was posted on February 2, 2008 at 5:17 pm and is filed under Context, Cultural Ideas, Goals, Me. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.