February 9, 2025 ~ Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
COURAGEOUS
Rev. Beckie Sweet
Someone asked me once why I “hang out” by the doors on Sunday mornings, because not all pastors do that. I mentioned that I love experiencing the ways people greet one another upon their arrival, and I enjoy offering greetings, as well. It is interesting to observe how we greet one another, and how, for some that is different from week to week. We hear the typical, “Good Morning! How are you today?” To which the most common response is, “Fine, thank you. And How are you?” Saying that one is “Fine,” is a non-revealing response. Those who are a bit more transparent might respond that they are exhausted, frustrated, sad, harried OR fabulous, over-joyed, celebrating life! Any of those responses would typically require more than a bit of explanation, but sometimes we just don’t want to go there.
So, let me ask you, if a friend was going through a tough time and reached out to you, how many of you would do your best to be there for your friend? I And how many of you, if you were going through a rough time, would reach out to your friends? I Why are we so quick to help others, while we believe that our struggles are not worthy of help? It’s a bit of a double standard, isn’t it?
Are we afraid that we are showing weakness in sharing our stories of challenge, difficulties, embarrassment, heartbreak? Some of us grew up with the admonition that it is not acceptable to “air our dirty laundry” to others. For me, growing up in a pastor’s family, there was often a reminder that I was not to do or say anything that would be embarrassing to my father, because that would make others think less of him. He had a status and position to protect. So, I often wondered what “secrets” I was supposed to keep just to myself.
I’ve come a long way since those years. In fact, sharing with you every Sunday has become an exercise in vulnerability. When I tell a story about myself, I am often doing so to tell you about a difficult life lesson that I was slow to learn. There are times when I wonder if I have over shared, (TMI – too much information) and if you will just be reminded again that the shepherd of this flock is a very fallible human being, who you might not want to look up to.
And then we listen again to Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. We are encouraged to think like Jesus, and act like Jesus, to be humble and vulnerable like Jesus. That means we need to be courageous enough to risk being vulnerable so that we can show the world another way of being and relating to God and to one another.
Most people think courage is being strong, resolute, and brave, and it is! Dictionary.com defines Courage as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, and fear. Exhibiting Courage requires vulnerability. The definition listed for Vulnerability is: 1) openness or susceptibility to attach or harm; 2) willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weakness to be seen or known; willingness to risk being emotionally hurt; or 3) the condition of needing supportive or protective services and resources.
Vulnerability is so many things: being authentic, sharing your gifts, falling in love, saying “I’m sorry,” forgiving someone, going to the doctor or dentist, asking for help, trying something new, losing a job, coming out, sharing your art, music, poetry, or cooking, getting married, getting divorced, losing a loved one, telling someone they hurt you, and the list goes on. Sometimes people mistakenly think that being vulnerable means being weak. None of these things just named showed weakness, they showed courage and strength. It takes bravery to deal with uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure because being vulnerable can be scary and uncomfortable.
Author Brené Brown wrote: “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose, or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”
Vulnerability is at the core of everything that is important and meaningful. Whether that is following our dreams, finding love, having friends, or following a spiritual path.
In the Roman Empire, divine and human power were asserted through strength, dominance, intimidation, oppression, and war. Being Courageous meant winning out over one’s opponents; showing power over others, and using that power and control to gain more power and control. Jesus, on the other hand, showed ultimate courage through his vulnerability, humility, compassion, and servant leadership. It was not what people expected. But it was exactly what was needed to turn ideologies, paradigms, and systems upside down in order to establish a kin-dom, a church, a community of hope, love, and peace.
This passage from Philippians, an early Christian hymn, talks about how Jesus, who is God (“in the form of God” and “equal with God”) did not assume to be better than everyone else. Instead, he became humble, gave up the privileges of divinity, “emptying himself” – made himself vulnerable in human existence.
Through Jesus’ courage to be vulnerable, he became like those he came to save, so that we would know the heart of God. Jesus became vulnerable to reveal God’s strength. Jesus became vulnerable to identify with our vulnerability – to show us how to find strength in him, and in ourselves when we have the Courage to be Vulnerable. In vulnerability there is healing, restoration, and growth. Relationships with God and with others become stronger, and there is comfort in knowing we are not the only ones struggling; that there is power in sharing our truth, and solidarity in journeying together.
Paul is telling the early Christians and us to have the Courage to be Vulnerable. Have the courage to remember what we are about as the Church and people of God. Have the courage to strive for unity when it is easier to be divided. Have the courage to admit when we are wrong or don’t have all the answers. Have the courage to accept and welcome the strangers among us. Have the courage to love and let love. Have the courage to surrender control. Have the courage to let someone pick you up when you have fallen down. Have the courage to allow brokenness to reveal God’s wholeness.
How does scripture illustrate vulnerability. To name just a few instances, think about:
- When Joseph’s brothers, who threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery, seek forgiveness;
- When there was a woman caught in the act of adultery;
- When Mary dared to sit at Jesus’ feet to learn; and when Martha complained;
- When a man was lowered down through a hole in the roof to receive healing from Jesus;
- When Jesus encountered a woman at the well who had many failed relationships;
- When Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey;
- When Jesus went before Pilate.
Here comes the scary but exhilaratingly beautiful part. Having the Courage to be Vulnerable is risky – vulnerability wouldn’t be vulnerability if it didn’t involve risk. It takes courage to engage in those situations not knowing what the outcome will be and doing the hard thing anyway.
I have many times been impressed and awed by others’ displays of Courage to be Vulnerable. But perhaps never more so than when I was going nearly weekly to provide worship and Bible Study to the incarcerated women in the Wayne County PA prison. I knew going into that area of ministry that I needed to be careful to “check my judgmentalism” at the door. We shared those times together in the largest room reserved for attorneys to meet with clients. After a couple of months our numbers started to grow and the room became very tight. I remember thinking that it must be nice for the women to get out of Cell Block A for an hour. And then one day, as we waited for everyone to gather, I learned that in order to gain the required entry back into Cell Block A following worship and Bible Study, each of the women were required to undergo a strip search to ensure that no one was bringing contraband back into the Cell Block. They valued worship and Bible Study enough to willingly endure a strip search after attending.
It was then that I realized just how important this time of spiritual growth was to these women.
The church of Jesus Christ is a family in which we must cultivate the Courage to be Vulnerable, as we have learned that Jesus modeled the Courage to be Vulnerable when coming to save us. I have heard it said that Jesus knows everything about us, and loves us anyway. When we have the Courage to be Vulnerable with one another, we learn a great deal about each other, and you know, it is even easier to love each other anyway. Take Courage, risk Vulnerability, and Feel the Love! Amen.