Be Patient & Chew Like A Cow
I was driving home from our weekend at the Marcella Summit when suddenly it hit me – those of you who attended are going to go home and will want to share what you learned but – you won’t be able to articulate it very well.
That’s what happens when you learn something new. You breath it in - something in you knows it’s right but it’s a mind twister and trying to tell others - well, you can’t - fully – yet.Cause you’re still ingesting and digesting. Like a cow. When cows eat they chew, swallow, digest, throw back up, eat again, swallow again, digest again.That’s the process of learning something new like we did this weekend. It’s going to take time to put it in. Remember what I said on Sunday. I’ve been on this journey for 11 years. I was taught one way but that was challenged when I read Dance of The Dissident Daughters. Remember I was so mad at the author’s accusations that I bought every book I could find on women in the early church. Then I broke my back and found myself on the couch for the summer – reading those books.By the end of the summer I was angry that I had only been taught one side of the story. Now I knew there was more. But it would take more years of learning -chewingestswallowdigestthrow up- before I would be able to sit next to Dr. Philip Payne and “translate” for him. (Talk about an intimidating task!)
The point is this: You will struggle sitting in your pew and listening to your preachers teach on the sticky texts or categorize men and women in specific roles, it will happen and you will wiggle. Because now you know there's a bigger story. Now you live in the Blessed Alliance. It's a process. Be patient with yourself and Jesus as He unfolds the process.
And you may want to share what you learned with your small group, or elder or friend but…darn you aren’t sure how to capture what you heard, what your mind and soul confirmed as “YES, this is right.” Be patient. It will come. It takes time to ingest then digest and come back out. (Sorry for that imagery!)Next years Summit will build upon this year. And in the mean time read, read, read. Dialogue with others, sharing it out loud will help you get clarity.And remember as we break bread and drink the wine – we pass to each other and say, “crap I’m in this with you.”
"Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father be with you; and may the Holy Spirit come upon you and disturb you and trouble you, and set before you an impossible task and dare you to do it; until in your desperation you fall on your knees and remain there until he fills you with his power which alone will enable you to do it; and then ... but only then, may the Lord grant you his peace. Amen."