I recently spent an afternoon at a park watching my daughter have her senior pictures taken. First, I just need to say I’m still in awe of how we got to this point. It feels like yesterday that I was bundling her up in new school clothes, packing her lunch and backpack, and sending her off to first grade. In reality, yesterday she took my car and picked up our grocery order, did her laundry, and organized a game time with friends; a far cry from first grade. Time keeps moving no matter what we want it to do.
Anyway, back to the park. We were in front of a beautiful fountain and there were several photographers admiring the light of the day and talking “shop.” It didn’t take long before these photographers were comparing notes and talking about lenses. Lenses are a big deal to photographers; literally they are the tools they use to create their art. Whether you are shooting landscapes, action shots, panoramic views, or portraits, the kind of lens you use matters. As I listened to these photographers comparing lenses, I thought about the metaphorical lenses we use as we look at our lives. How do you view our Biblical call to justice as you consider the upcoming election? How do you view the interconnectedness between you and your neighbors in this time of pandemic? How do you view our call to be stewards of creation? We find ourselves switching lenses all the time: hopeful, despairing, generous, anxious. That is normal. As the body of Christ we are called to pay attention to the lenses we are centering ourselves in as we navigate our lives. Today I encourage you to look at your lenses. Which lens helps you the most to live into your call to be salt and light to a world in need?
In Peace and Hope, Pastor Ruth