I have found a word that describes an experience that is satisfying and pleasant for introverts like me, but which is something to be avoided when thinking about a faith community most commonly referred to as a church.
In The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, John Koenig invented the word midding.
midding - n. the tranquil pleasure of being near a gathering but not quite in it - hovering on the perimeter of a campfire, talking quietly outside a party, resting your eyes in the back seat of a car listening to friends chatting up front - feeling blissfully invisible yet still fully included, safe in the knowledge that everyone is together and everyone is okay, with all the thrill of being there without the burden of having to be.
As I said, I am an introvert and I can absolutely relate to being "blissfully invisible" and yet still feeling accepted and included. To have people I love and care about enjoying themselves nearby without me having to actually be involved in any informal conversation sounds like a piece of paradise.
But what if I'm satisfied "hovering on the perimeter" of a group that Jesus commands me to love in the same way he loves me? What if I'm satisfied being associated with a church but not truly connected? What if I'm inoculated with an appearance of Christianity but haven't really contracted the full "disease"?
It's been said that disciples of Jesus are in the world but not of the world; of a necessity, we eat, breathe, and do business in society-at-large, but our deeper identity is rooted in a relationship with Jesus. I wonder how many folks have flipped that concept on its ear and are in the church but not of it.
* * * * * * *
Truth is...Being devoted to one another in love (Romans 12:10) involves more than being a spectator. Adopt me into your family, Father God. Implant me into your body, Lord Jesus. Energize me with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, Holy Spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment