Eastertide
May 19, 2015

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. –Acts 2:1-6

Taking Spanish in college, I soon learned that I could read it better than I could speak it, and I now know that since I have not used it, I have lost most of it. Being articulate with the use of guacamole and taco does not count. I also do not text. I guess I am just being stubborn, but it is so much easier to leave a voice message rather than take the time to type out a message with two rather clumsy thumbs that require me to delete and reenter as many letters or numbers as I input successfully. The result is I have a limited knowledge of text speak. I do know LOL. Taking the tests associated with Ruby Payne’s A Framework for Understanding Poverty, helped me understand that I have only a basic knowledge of the language of poverty even though I have worked in that area for over 40 years, am amazingly good at middle class, and failed miserably the language of the rich.

In general, I live, move, and have my being in silos I have chosen or that were chosen for me by my ancestors. It is very, very hard to move beyond those silos but it is possible through the love of God, the example of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 17:28, states, For “In [Christ] we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said, “For we too are his offspring.”

 The Kingdom of God will never flourish across this earth until we remove ourselves from our silos of exclusion and open ourselves to the other. Paul’s list for working toward inclusion is: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) What is in your list for inclusion? What is your plan for climbing out of your silos?

Prayer: Lord, make me whole so that I can open myself to the others in the world today. Let your spirit guide me in meeting people where they are and joining them in growing together toward the oneness to which you have called us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.