A Fuller Picture of the Kingdom
I often hear people talk about interracial worship services and express that it is such a beautiful glimpse of what the Kingdom of Heaven will be like. Especially since churches are most often almost exclusively one race, it is not something we see a lot of. And I also really enjoy multi-ethnic worship services, and I appreciate being able to actually see some of Jesus' power of reconciliation in action in the Church. But tonight there was a different kind of glimpse I got into the Kingdom of Heaven, and it was also a beautiful thing.
Tonight I went to an Ecumenical worship service celebrating persons with disabilities in the Church as a whole. The service itself was just, eh. But being in a worship space with people with all sorts of cognitive, physical, emotional, social, etc. disabilites where people were free to laugh when they wanted, move around if they needed to, make the noises they need to make, and in general where people could just be themselves...it was so moving to me. Since I don't spend a lot of time with people with disabilities here in Georgia (there is one girl with some intellectual disabilities I spend time with, and her boyfriend too, and they are great--and also pretty high functioning) I sometimes forget how being in the presence of a well-mixed group of people with obvious disabilities (wearing helmets, in wheelchairs, with Downs Syndrome, etc.) and those with less obvious limitations (all the rest of us) is a way I can really experience God. Often the gifts very common in many people with developmental disabilities (authenticity, expressiveness, genuine welcome, lack of pretense) are in very short supply in the rest of the church.
Anyway, the sounds, the sights, everything about this group of folks gathered was just so worshipful to me. There is a way that being in that type of group softens my view of God's character, and helps me realize my own belovedness as well. It is the most connected to God I have felt in a worship service in a while; I am so thankful for the gifts people with disabilities share with the Church, and with me.
Tonight I went to an Ecumenical worship service celebrating persons with disabilities in the Church as a whole. The service itself was just, eh. But being in a worship space with people with all sorts of cognitive, physical, emotional, social, etc. disabilites where people were free to laugh when they wanted, move around if they needed to, make the noises they need to make, and in general where people could just be themselves...it was so moving to me. Since I don't spend a lot of time with people with disabilities here in Georgia (there is one girl with some intellectual disabilities I spend time with, and her boyfriend too, and they are great--and also pretty high functioning) I sometimes forget how being in the presence of a well-mixed group of people with obvious disabilities (wearing helmets, in wheelchairs, with Downs Syndrome, etc.) and those with less obvious limitations (all the rest of us) is a way I can really experience God. Often the gifts very common in many people with developmental disabilities (authenticity, expressiveness, genuine welcome, lack of pretense) are in very short supply in the rest of the church.
Anyway, the sounds, the sights, everything about this group of folks gathered was just so worshipful to me. There is a way that being in that type of group softens my view of God's character, and helps me realize my own belovedness as well. It is the most connected to God I have felt in a worship service in a while; I am so thankful for the gifts people with disabilities share with the Church, and with me.
posted by bethany at 7:45 PM
2 Comments:
I have always thought that the disabled, in many ways, havee the highest spiritual IQ. We measure (or try to measure) the Intelligence Quotient of people and judge their psychological, emotional, and intellectual maturity and aptitude. However, we cannot measure or fathom the hearts of anyone spiritually. Only God can do that. I guess I think the disabled have the highest spiritual IQs because they don't seem to be generally as focussed on the physical things in life. Also, if theirs is a mental problem, they tend to look at things spiritual with a simplicity and clarity that "normal" people miss all-too-frequently. To be "like a little child" is one of the greatest exhortations from the Great Master, after all.
Up until a year ago I worked with students with disabilities at a school. Often what we think of as a disability is simply another way of looking at the world. Yes, folks with autism, ADD and such can have a harder time in the world, but that is because the world is wired for people without these conditions. Some of the most talented people I met have been diagnosed with a disability.
So glad you had that awesome experience to see a wider swath of God's kingdom. And thanks for visiting my blog!
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