The Courage To Be

Luke regales us with the tale of Paul in Athens during the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. It is one of the most remarkable passages in the bible. It makes us feel as if we are right there listening to Paul give his greatest sermon. We learn that God is not a far-off god but is so close that he resides within us all. We are God’s off-spring. Greek poets, preachers of the gospel, and the prophets of Israel agree the each of us are the children of God. The images of God show him as a father figure yet, if we are the children of God, should not God be a motherly figure? Out of God’s being we were given birth which is a feature of women. Literally, while we are in our mother’s womb, we live and move and have our being just as Paul describes how it is with God. We are created to be who we are. It is a high calling to represent God in today’s world. It takes courage. Only you can tell us what God is like. Don’t let fear or the desire to hide in conformity make you deny who you truly are. Be joyful in who you are.