I’m betting all those folks Jesus hung out with – you know: the sinners, the NOKP*, the dirty and unkempt ones, the mean ones and the sly ones, the showing-too-much-in-that-dress ones – yeah, those folks – well, I’m betting that even when they came into the ‘fold’ by following Jesus, they were still who they were before in many ways.
I’m betting they still belched and scratched and farted at the dinner table.
I’m betting they still got told that ‘we don’t wear that kind of dress here, dear.’
I’m betting they still drank too much from time to time.
I’m betting that all in all, they remained a pretty ragtag profane bunch. And I’m betting that some, if not most, folks who considered themselves part of the in crowd still cringed when they saw them coming.
Why am I so sure?
Well, the truth is I’m a pretty profane gal, all things considered. I still laugh too loud and get too mad and point my finger and want to, even if I don’t, wear that slutty dress. And every now and then, under the robes, I still belch and fart and scratch.
But now I know Jesus. I may not know you, but I know Jesus. And yes, that has made me a better person than I was, but that’s almost beside the point, except to the extent that it helps or hurts you to know Jesus too, because while I’m better, I am far, far, far, from perfect. And I’m okay with that.
So to all of you who think you might like to get to know Jesus too and that maybe you could do that in a church, but aren’t sure (or more sadly, are sure) of the welcome you’ll receive there, all I can tell you is this: come belching and scratching and farting and drinking and laughing too loud and wearing your favorite slutty dress . . . and . . . and . . . and be kind enough in your coming to realize that if you get dirty looks from some, that’s just our way of belching or farting a greeting your way. And try not to mind too much – we just don’t know any better.
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*For those who don’t recognize the acronym, Not Our Kind of People
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