

History is marked by those pushing

into uncharted waters

unexamined worlds

and mostly unacceptable arenas

where people who were not to be

allowed

accepted

approved or

appreciated

were asked to

contribute

comprehend

compose and

conspire

against the ways that things are

and toward the way that things should be

in the kingdom

in the beloved community

in the new ecology

of a world and

of a community where

rich and poor

sick and well

like and unlike

loud and quiet

important and ignored

sit together

eat together

serve together

weep together

laugh together

learn together

give together

sing together and

hope together.

And while we are still so far behind

we have moved so far ahead

of where we have been

and only a few moments of remembering

will give us the wisdom and the humility

to pray to God–our only hope–that we will keep moving forward

faster and surer than the ways we are pulled to move backward

and we will remember

in our trepidation and

in our eagerness for

things to stay the same

that we are descendants of a long line

of rule-breakers

of peace-makers

of hope-holders and

of kingdom-bringers.

And now is not the time for stillness.

Amen.

djordan

Pine Tree