The words of the poem “When I Say I Am a Christian” were shared during a recent worship service. The pastor’s reading of this prose and how he tied it to the message was compelling.
Have you heard this poem before? You can read the poem by Carol Wimmer at the website HERE. Spending a little time at that website also allows one to learn its history and original inspiration.
The wording is effective, moving the reader away from an image of prideful, powerful, shouting Christians towards a whispering, professing, failing, suffering and contemplative version. In the history of the poem, Carol mentions
“I had begun to sense increasing societal resentment within American culture toward the attitude of self-righteousness that has been adopted by so many Christians. I knew such behavior was, and is, a distortion of Christianity.”
Over the years, many of us can relate to Carol’s feeling. In fact, some have been moving towards adopting terms like “Christ-follower” and others, avoiding the moniker Christian altogether.
Acting as Christians can come with plenty of challenges. Yet, when “the words flowed out of me with such ease” as they do for Carol in this poem, we can use them to better describe the Christians we want to be. Thanks, Carol Wimmer, for sharing your Spirit-led prose!
Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!
P.S. for some “be at peace with one another” as Christians commentary, check out Lisa’s sermon HERE (and a nice quartet piece directly afterwards!)
Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 3, 2021:
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