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In my first year of college, I started attending a particular campus, Christian organization, probably because it was the one that most people, and people that I knew attended. There were some issues, we can talk about another time. One day, I found myself in a conversation with a friend from my dorm floor and one of the other members of this campus, Christian organization. My friend asked if he, the member who was a few years older than us, if he thought that French military leader Joan of Arc was saved and in heaven. And he, in his year or 2 of wisdom older than us said, well, we don’t know if she said the sinner’s prayer, so she probably wasn’t a real Christian.

Look, I am not the same person today that I was all those years ago, and there are many things I said and believed back then that I would be embarrassed to admit, and I have probably had a ridiculous amount of events and conversations from that time. But not that one. Because even a 19 year-old me thought that sounded dumb.

But there is a long history of people gate keeping Christianity.  The reason we set up beliefs we’re in and which set of beliefs were out. Even down to today you can’t be a Christian and vote for a certain political party or particular individual and it has cost people, their Church friends, even family.

Of course there are those who define Christianity then who’s out based on set of beliefs or a particular prayer like the young man unconvinced of Joan’s salvation.

Beware the dogs.

But a prayer is way easier than what some were asking. Dare I say demanding the Philippians to do. That they needed to First become Jewish visibly Jewish. If you remove the right clothes, then they can follow Christ appropriately.

Theoretically I get it surgically it seems uncomfortable theologically the Early leaders of the church had already decided it wasn’t necessary.

But circumcision was verifiable. Clearly meant you had become part of the community. No one could question your commitment.

It’s having a specific date when someone asks when you were saved and some people do and some of us don’t. It’s knowing which Billy Graham revival you were at. It’s the blue verified check on social media that confirms who you are and that you’re important.

Because Paul is verified. He goes through a list of all of the things that make him verified authentic. Someone who is somebody in this world. His lineage, his place of birth, his education that he obeyed every law even when he was too young to be able to make that decision for himself. To the world he is important.

And I think about the things titles, whatever it is that makes us important. It could be a degree, a title that comes at the end or beginning of your name. It could be years of experience, a record of having longevity or task completion. It’s possible it’s a family name.

What are the things about you that verify you for society for the people around you that give you access or authority or respect that make you worthy, valuable, enough, beloved.

In a world where that is the most important thing, how the world understands you and defines you is what gives you value. Paul is saying no that is not. What makes you valuable? That is not what makes you beloved. What you have done, what you have claimed, the privilege to which you are born into or not does not define who you are as a person. Instead. It is who you are in Christ and that is already loved and beloved

And I say all this as a woman who is in a predominantly male field. Well the numbers are out of date before 2020 and the main line Protestant denominations in the United States 32% of clergy were women and worldwide across all denominations all churches 15% of clergy were women. The Reverend in front of my name and the clergy collar I wear for public occasions is because when I walk into a space , I will not automatically get the same respect. Same listening ear as say the Catholic priest And now if I’m going to have to fight for my space and a male-dominated industry, I would like to do it from a space that has at least hinted at the education and the vetting that I’ve already had to go through. This is even harder for women of color.

This isn’t really the point but it is worth acknowledging. When Paul says he counts it all as loss as less important. We still have to remember that, Paul, a Hebrew born of Hebrews trained as a Pharisee gave him access to the Jewish communities gathering in synagogues and a Roman citizen meant that he rarely stayed in jail for very long when he was arrested outside of Rome.  The things he counts as less were still huge privileges for him.

And that matters in a lot of ways. Because if I were to take my cue and my value and my place in the world based on how others see me regardless of my education and the vetting I have gone through, there are still many who would not offer me their respect race that they might other people. And honestly most of the people that they’re following as pastors don’t have the education in the vetting that I have been through.

So it doesn’t matter what they say whether it’s good or bad whether it offers us privilege when we’re pulled over by the police, which is something that is often used as vetting to demand respect

No, what matters is who we are in Christ and are you striving to live a life modeled by Christ.

Paul offers himself up as an example for the Philippians to follow because he is probably not doing it perfectly but is striving.

We remember the Holy Disruptors that we looked at last summer, Oscar Romero and Dorothy Day. They weren’t perfect, but they were striving to live in love.

I wonder who you know, who you think of that models Christ, that you want to emulate, that isn’t perfect but is striving.

Preachers and theologian Fred Craddock wrote that, “Faith for Paul involved running, wrestling, striving, and fighting, none of which would end until the day of Christ. We must remember that for Paul all that effort was not for Merritt but was rather the activity of the one who had abandoned all claims to merit.”

What then are you striving for?

The first five historic questions of John Wesley asked to those who sought to follow

Have you faith in Christ?

Are you going on to perfection?

Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?

Are you earnestly striving after it?

Are you resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and his work?

And that may sound daunting–being made perfect and striving for perfection. But the understanding is that we are made perfect in love, that by every act of love you do, in the love the is God, brings you more in line with Christ, more Christ like, more perfect. We are made perfect in our love in acts of love and how we love.

Striving to live a life of love as revealed in Christ, we strive for it, we struggle with it, we run toward it, always practicing, always picking ourselves up, encouraging each other, supporting each other, preparing for the rally race hand off to the next generation, that we might be those who see Christ’s love and are the example they hold up, like the Philippines had Paul. We practice love, grow in love and perfection, and be the example for the next generations. We pass the baton and help them be flawed and still grow in perfection through love.