Being responsible...

I've been thinking a lot about the Nia Glassies of the world particularly after reading Rosemary McLeod's article) and I'm trying to think about whether or not I would have dobbed. It was an absolute tragedy and I feel passionately that it should never happen to anyone, but I'm just not sure. That said, I have dobbed about stuff before. If I feel a situation would put a child in danger, I'll dob, but I have this conscience that prohibits me from being able to nark without hesitation. At the end of the day, if I know a kid is in danger of shit that's just completely and utterly insane and irrational, I'll do what I can to ensure the safety of that child, but yeah... not without brain debates.

Something in McLeod's article struck me...

...all share some responsibility. It wasn't just up to the adults around Nia to look after her: it's up to all of us to look after each other, surely, and to act when we have reason to doubt anyone's safety.

This morning in church, someone talked about those big dudes in ministry who fell apart. They committed some huge sexual crime and "fell from grace" so to speak. Then there was that church going fella that shot up a school in America. Of course, there are also those whose lives just got the better of them and they fell apart, walked off the rails completely and came back on when they saw the train coming at full speed. It's often hard to imagine that these people actually exist within our walls.

I love Petra's song "Rose Coloured Stained Glass Windows".

Out on the doorstep lay the masses in decay
Ignore them long enough, maybe they'll go away

It's awfully honest about we who live in our bubbled churches. But maybe it's evolved. It's become more than that. Perhaps we're living in individual bubbles within our churches. So it's more like Casting Crowns' "Stained Glass Masquerade"

Am I the only one who's traded in
The altar for the stage?
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart.

What is community?
What is church?
What does being "community" entail?
How about "church"?
When does it get easier to keep the mask off?
Does dobbing ever get easier?
Can we really fall apart?
Will anyone like us, let alone listen to us if we do?


I'm tired and my allergies are driving me nuts.

Bonsoir,
x Lans