Karis Rosell's Blog
Excerpt from Oct. Newsletter / Nov 16, 03:19 PM
Well friends, it’s hard for me to believe, but I have been in Wilmington for over six weeks already. Time has flown by as I am continuously learning more about this new world here and the loving God who created it. I’m feeling continually challenged to transform my ideas of what it means to be a Christian following in the footsteps of the revolutionary Jesus, and what true Godly love is. This transformation, still in its very beginning phases, is not an easy one. It twists and stretches in exciting and frightening and awkward ways. It’s hard, but very good. While working through new ideas and perspectives, I am struck over and over by what we are told about how Jesus lived and loved during his time on Earth, and implications that has for our own lives. Jesus hung out with those who were the social outcasts of his day, in a culture where honor was gained by connection with the powerful and association with the lowly could be viewed as shameful. If Jesus’ love was so counter-cultural in his time, we should certainly feel no hesitation in indiscriminately loving. Further we should especially focus on those who might be viewed as the social outcasts in our culture. For me, this seems to be one way in which to work towards a more Christ-like revolutionary love. In keeping with this quest, my housemates plus a few others found ourselves in the midst of downtown Philly one night. Our simple goal was to give slices of pizza to those many might consider to be today’s outcasts – the many people in Philly who have found themselves homeless. We wanted to give food, but we also wanted to show them that they were not forgotten. We wanted the people we came in contact with to feel like someone cared and if we were lucky, perhaps even get them to share some of their stories. In the end I know I was blessed more than any of those a handed pizza to. I heard stories, wisdom, and theories. I found myself engaged in discussions about psychology, religion and philosophy that night. And I was humbled by my surprise at these occurrences. Over and over what I heard from the homeless men and women was the statement, “they forget that we’re still people”. I am humbled and ashamed that I am one of “them”. Lord, forgive me when I think too highly of myself, and continue to convict and humble me.0 Comments
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