the order of the Kingdom

"The marginalized folks in the upside-down order of God remind those of us who think we know something that the pearls of great price are often hidden from the arrogant and proud. 'Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?'" (James 2:5) - Jimmy Dorrell

Picnic in the Park messes with me all the time. I arrange for folks from Orchard Hill to go and serve a meal, and I don't think I'm far off when I write that most of us from OHC believe we're giving of ourselves as we commit to serve in the park on a Sunday. And while it's true that we are, I encounter a more profound spiritual lesson each time on the receiving end, if indeed, I am willing to receive.

In what was the most beautiful fall day ever yesterday, I experienced the following:

-I listened as Jim, a member of Harvest, shared about when he journals each morning, he doesn't use "I" but "we" in his writing, as he knows God is with him all the time.

-We didn't have many adults there to play with kids yesterday, and I watched how the community responded to that: A group of boys grabbed a football and had a pick up game. Some smaller girls took a jumprope, and some of the park guests began swinging it for them.

- Perry and Thomas, two downtown friends, were there from start to finish yesterday helping to serve and already talking of 2011 PIP. Thomas said, "Six months will go by like five minutes.....I hope."

- Robin, who sometimes uses a very little girl voice and other times speaks with a deep masculine voice, told me that "We'll be seeing each other next summer if we're still around. Only Jesus knows, and it's all okay either way."

- Others shared their struggles from the week as they look for work, lost a loved one to the prison system, got evicted. And as OHC pulled the chuckwagon away at 1 p.m., I looked back, and there was this group of ragtag believers singing their hearts out in worship still. In no hurry on a beautiful day, their time of worship and play continued on.

My last thoughts as I left the park for the season were, "I have a lot to learn about life and faith, and I think God will teach me through friends like these right here in Lincoln Park."