Circles in the Sand
But love and I had the wit to win; we drew a circle that took him in.”
Outwitted, by Edwin Markham
I’ve been trying to write this blog all day.
I intended to shut my door today and write this blog and another letter that needs careful thought and prayer. I had drawn a circle around this day for a specific purpose. But people stop by and call in and have questions and children want to tell me about their days at the preschool and I find myself at the end of the day, still trying to write.
Sunday’s gospel (Mark 7:24-37) was all about drawing circles - circles that keep some people in and some people out, circles that define who we are and how much we can be and do and give. Even Jesus drew circles that defined his ministry. When a Gentile woman - someone outside his circle of mission and ministry - asked for help with her little daughter, a tired and frustrated Jesus uncharacteristically says no.
Through a most unlikely teacher with a most persistent voice, Jesus came to new insight about his ministry and radically redrew his circle. Jesus learned that the scope of God’s plan for him was bigger and more inclusive and expansive than even he had imagined. His surprising encounter with this Gentile woman changed the way he went about his ministry, opening his hands and heart to Jews and Gentiles alike, opening his arms to embrace the whole world.
Most of the time, when I draw a circle around what I can do or be or give, I do so because of a sense of scarcity. I am convinced that I have no more to give. I tell myself I don’t have enough time. I persuade myself that I don’t have the skill or finances or compassion or will to do any more. When I operate under the assumption that I am in control, I limit my resources. When I decide who I help, when I decide that enough is enough, when I decide what I can and can’t do, I don’t have enough. I draw my circle smaller and smaller still.
Opening my circle means, first of all, that I listen to the voice of Jesus leading the way. Any voice that tells me I can draw a line to exclude someone because of how they look or where they are from or what they believe is not the voice of Christ. Any voice that says that someone is outside the scope of God’s compassion and care is not the voice of Christ. The voice of Christ is always a voice of inclusion, compassion and respect.
When we listen to the voice of Jesus and begin to comprehend the scope of what he calls us to do, we can be overwhelmed with the sheer magnitude of need. I need constant reminding that in God I have an inexhaustible supply of strength, compassion, resources and power. God will always give me all I need to do what God calls me to do. I don’t have to do everything all by myself. In fact, I can’t do anything all by myself. But with God, all things are possible – yes, even that plan that seems so far out of reach.
Expanding our circles does not mean that we have no boundaries or ignore self -care. Sometimes following God’s will means setting firm boundaries. And we need to pay attention to our own needs for spiritual refreshment and renewal. Rather, widening our circles has more to do with careful discernment of what God wants us to do, and then going about God’s work confident that God will equip us to do what we are called to do. It involves deepening our trust that God will supply all of what we need. Opening our circles means operating on a model of abundance. It means taking risks, stepping out, seeming reckless, all in the name of ministry to all of God’s beloved people.
