At Trinity right now we have a symbolic pathway going through the church. It is paved with symbols of the work we do here. Very soon we are going to add the footprints, and before we do that, I think we need an explanation.
Footprints in the Sand–you’ve probably read that poem. In the poem, the speaker imagines two sets of footprints on the beach–his own and Jesus’–with the comforting twist that Jesus carried him during the difficult times. So reassuring.
You know that this story is not in the Bible, right?
If that surprises you, you’re not alone. A story like this fits in the Bible of our imagination because Christians so often talk about faith as if it were a private affair. Me and Jesus–it’s a story involving only two characters. So, before we go any further, let’s get straight on one of the most important standards of the Christian journey:
It’s not all about you.
The Bible is the story of God’s people, not God’s person. Sometimes the story centers on a particular individual, but only to tell how that person contributed to the whole. Moses, David, Mary, Abraham–it’s not all about any of them either. No matter what we might imagine, Jesus stays with that theme. Jesus doesn’t preach a private Gospel for personal salvation. His message is about the Kingdom. We are invited to live in that community, work for that reality, and spread the message.
Now, let’s talk about footprints.
The footprints on our path will represent pledge cards–one footprint for each card. Clever, right?
Well–maybe, except for that topic of money.
Money–that’s all about me, right?
We secretly criticize and speculate about other people’s spending choices and income, but direct money talk is still a boundary we don’t cross. My money is mine, and the decisions around it are mine. Like those footprints in the sand, spending choices are all about me. No other opinions required.
Which makes money talk a problem in church. The footprints on our path are about generosity and commitment, using money to participate in the Kingdom of God. While we might all recognize that this is necessary–after all, what work is ever done that doesn’t require financial support?–that doesn’t mean we welcome the message. So, again, we go back to the beginning:
It’s not all about you.
Jesus invites us to be part of something bigger than ourselves. The invitation goes to all–young, old, wealthy, unemployed, students, retired–you get the point. Imagine this invitation going only to those of a certain income level–how then would Jesus’ community differ from the world we live in? Generosity includes us all because we all belong. We all get to share in building God’s community of hope and belonging. That is Good News grounded in love and grace–Good News the world cannot give.
This weekend we get to make a real footprint, one that makes a difference in our church and in God’s plan. I hope you can hear this opportunity as the invitation that it is, and respond with thanksgiving. Remember, it’s not all about you. And yet, gloriously, it is about your belonging in God’s plan.