Constructing Faith

 "Part of being human is being tempted to try to solve problems rather than sit with them."

Confession.

I look at Peanut sometimes and I'm jealous of how her faith has been constructed by her.

When Peanut was 4 she was very upset about the story of Noah and the ark in the Bible. It wasn't a fun story of animals going 2 by 2 for her. She was deeply saddened that she wanted to believe in a God who could kill all of His people. What kind of God was that?

I told her the truth. I don't know.

We made space for questioning, wrestling, big questions. And that set the tone for the faith journey we'd walk on parallel.

There's a lot of controversy about the movement to "deconstruct" your faith.

I find it concerning that many religious churches want you to not ask questions, wrestle with the big issues or challenge the way it's always been done.

You must not be "faithful" if you don't know all the things for sure.

I would assert that many of us aren't really deconstructing anything but rather constructing something for the first time. We are just now thinking about ALL the things we've been taught and wondering - what is truth?

I would assert that many of you, like me, were raised in a denomination where the man (key gender there) stood up front and told you what to think. What was "right." And you nodded and assumed that the interpretation of scripture by this ONE person was the only way.

I've slowly been evaluating all the things I was taught. Constructing my own faith.

I don't think Jesus would have a problem with that.

This past week I was cleaning out the homeschool room (a never ending chore) and came across our "motto" for the first few years of homeschooling.

"Let your light shine so others may see the good that you do and glorify your father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

My interpretation of that verse at the time was very much some 1980s VBS version.

Be the change.

Don't let the world change you.

You = good.

World = bad.

Last week Peanut had the opportunity to volunteer at an outreach camp program at our church.

Each day I noticed how serving others changed her.

I want Peanut to be changed by the world.

I want spending a week serving those who are racially, culturally, ethnically, economically, religiously, etc. diverse - I want her to be changed by that.

I want her heart to soften by those experiences.

I don't want her thinking she's some light in the darkness.

I want her to find the light in others.

I want her to notice that new kids love bracelet making too. I want her to recognize when someone's having a hard day. I want her to teach a group the church clap because someone taught her.

I want her to be changed by the world.

I want her to seek the voices in our community that aren't the loudest.

I want her to listen.

Mama Warriors, I know we all love our kids fiercely in this big Mama bear protective way.

We want them to be light but we only expose to them to rooms full of sunshine.

Are the spaces our kids are growing up in gifting them room to grow?

Are they spaces that allow for the questioning, the wrestling, the push back that is a sign of a healthy adolescent?

Are we encouraging them to be changed by the need they see in the world?

Are we making space for our kids to teach someone new the church clap or are they only hanging out with those who already know it?