As flesh and blood we are mortal and limited in more ways than just our lifespans. Our ability to love is hampered by our lack of facilities. Even at our best our contributions are meager.
This is true of most of our attempts and it’s innate to our stature as human beings. A healthy perspective on our best contributions should keep us in shameful tears for most of our lives. If this sounds like the “worm” theology that I regularly reject, it’s only because you haven’t heard the next part…
…the thing about shameful tears is that through them we can see God in amazing ways! You didn’t think I was really advocating a life of lament did you? No, I’m advocating a rational “Ragamuffin” view of ourselves before God. I’m advocating crying early and often, and allowing our tears to be a lens through which we experience God deeply and in a real way.
In the months to come I plan to integrate “Ragamuffin” concepts into this site and future posts. It is a true and important balance to the bold and somewhat defiant points I have made in the past. Of course there will be plenty of those too, but hopefully they will be tempered with a healthy dose of adoration for the One that is greater than all of us put together. More to come.