I carry you with me in my heart

I grew up in Ashland, Ohio. When I describe it to people, I start with: “If Normal Rockwell did a painting of a town…”

For 15 years now, I’ve lived in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. When you think of Detroit, what images come to mind? I think of assembly lines, concrete, smokestacks, and steel.

I grew up among conservative white people.

These days, I spend most of my time learning and working with progressive people of many colors and cultures different from my own.

I grew up in a small town Church of Christ congregation that taught obedience to the law as the best way to love and serve God.

Since 2008, I’ve been a member at a suburban Church of Christ congregation that encourages people to love God by following the Spirit.

I grew up choosing to be in close relationship with only Christians who shared my beliefs and practices.

For the last 25 years, I’ve grown very close and learned so much from believers and seekers who are not Christians at all.

I love my hometown and its people.

I love my adopted city and its people, too.

I love conservative white people.

I also love progressive people of every color and culture.

I love the classic “law school” Church of Christ.

I love the progressive “free Spirit” Church of Christ, too.

I love Christians and Christianity in all its forms.

I love what I’ve learned from the faith teachings and traditions of the many beautiful, wonderful people that befriended me through the years.

I still have much to learn from the people and places that raised me and are still dear to me.

I still have much to learn from the people and places I have yet to go.

Here is what I want to say:

When I am in Ashland, Ohio, I am carrying all of Detroit, Michigan, with me in my heart.

And when I am in Detroit, Michigan, I am carrying all of Ashland, Ohio, with me just the same.

When I am with conservative white people, I am carrying progressive people of every color and culture with me in my heart.

And when I am with progressive people of colors and cultures different from my own, I am carrying conservative white people with me just the same.

When I am in a “law-abiding” Church of Christ, I carry the “free Spirit” Church of Christ with me.

And when I am in a “free Spirit” Church of Christ, I carry the “law-abiding” Church of Christ just the same.

When I am with Christians who are “only Christians,” I carry all of my friends from other faiths with me in my heart.

And when I am with people of other faiths, I carry my “only Christian” family and friends with me just the same.

What I want you to know is that when I am not with you–when I am with someone with whom you may think you have nothing in common–I am carrying you with me.

I carry you with me to remember you and to say a prayer for you in case anyone says anything against you. I know you. I won’t let their words stick.

We’re all only human, after all.

I also carry you with me because I want you to meet the other people in my life. And I want them to meet you. Even if it’s a meeting that only happens in my imagination.

If you could only meet in a place made light and safe by the grace of God, I believe you could be friends. I believe you could love each other the way I love each of you.

I believe you could find the Spirit of the Christ in each other.

So I carry you with me in my heart to people and places that may seem scary and strange to you, but that God has let me go without as much fear.

In my heart and mind, every encounter becomes a prayer.

In my heart and mind, every meeting becomes a preview of what God promised he would do for this broken, broken down, broken up world.

Grace and peace.