The Fringe

            As someone who writes a fair amount (I try to post every other day), I sometimes run into a wall. What should I write about? I stare at my screen and draw a blank.

            If you ever have a topic you would like to read about, email me at spencerluria@gmail.com. Any suggestions, comments, or questions are welcome!

            Now for my actual post topic.

The Fringe

            As a military child, I’ve always been an outsider. I’ve always been that new kid that had no friends. Moving from place to place, sports team to sports team, church to church. No one my age ever walked up to me to be my friend. No one ever said, “Hey! What’s your name? I’m so glad you’re here.” I always took the first step. I always fought the cliques.

           And I hated it. It hurt to be ignored and not cared about.

           So you know what I did? I gathered others who were on the outside. I formed my own group of friends with the non-popular kids. I made friends with everyone else that had no friends. My group of friends would then grow larger than the other groups. Then they wanted in. And we let them in. Everyone was happy.

            That’s not how it was supposed to be, but that’s especially how it is in the church. People don’t want to get out of their comfort zone and befriend the new person. We don’t care about the fringe because they’ve never done anything for us. They are just inconvenient nobodies.

            But let’s look at Jesus and how He acted towards those on the outside.

            “Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,

            was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.

            So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.

            When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”

            And he came down quickly and received him with joy. (Luke 19:2-6)

           After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.”

            And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. (Luke 5:27-28)

            Notice Jesus’ eyes. He “looked up” and noticed Zaccheus (Luke 19:5). He “saw” Levi (Luke 5:27). He was always keeping his eyes open for those on the outside. He was always on the lookout for the extremely unpopular (tax collectors, prostitutes, etc.). He cared, so he took notice.

             My friends, are we following Jesus’ example? Are we looking? Do we care?

I’m Not Sorry

             Now, as I reread what I just wrote, I realize I may come across as harsh. But I won’t change anything because that’s years upon years of frustration and sadness coming out. It’s real talk. There are so many lonely people in the church today. I’ve been one of them. It’s a shame.

             But maybe you haven’t noticed those outside of your circle because you’ve never had to experience what I have. You don't know what it's like. That’s understandable. But it’s also changeable.

             So keep your eyes open for the fringe, like me. Make friends from their ranks. Invite them in. Tell them you are so glad they are there. They'll feel like they matter. That will make their day.

             It would’ve made mine.