The New Wine in Laura Munson's testimony

I had seen this story earlier but chose to skip it. Then this morning my sis recommended it on her wall and I decided to check it out. What a gift and I am glad I didn't notice it when it was at the peak of its popularity a few years back. I wasn't ready yet to understand it as I am able now.

The story is republished by The Real Singapore which first appeared in the NYT.

Of course (Only I understand why I said that) I had to explore the edges of this story and I found many references that this was non-religious. Right! New Wine of the Gospel has that character too. Therefore Jesus continue to ask us, "Who do you think I am?"

It took me a few years to understand and be ready to send off my Day 40 thoughts from Rick Warren book, "The Purpose Driven Life"

We are pattern seeking creatures and that is always how we read meaning and purpose into our lives. Once a while and I suppose many people never get to see a life's pattern that is too imaginative or unexpected for them to conceive, the Gospel has that character. The risen Lord had to explain it all to them. He gave them the macro perspective explaining from the old scriptures what must come and why, they will need to explain to others later etc., At the personal level we have many examples but one of the foremost story must be Paul of Tarsus - The road to Damascus changed everything for him. It upended the planned and predictable story of his life (we call it the career path in our times) up till then and a new and incredible story took its place with a new and opposite direction from where he was heading.

This is not a confession blog as it is too public. I will only make it clearest to myself. This story from the NYT dovetails beautifully to the Day 40 I eventually sent off. Laura Munson story is in the style of the Gospel story of the Prodigal Son, which I had used for my Day 40 submission. Everything became clearer and simpler to me afterward. I could from that point onward see how evil and uncaring it was for Christians to be homophobic towards the gays. I think homosexuality is wrong but so is the rampant fornication and adultery among Christians. We don't have the right to judge because we are no better but all of us should ask to stand beside the Father for the prodigal son to return. Laura Munson (I am so glad it is a woman and not a man playing this role) was the image of the Father to the prodigal son. That son's role was played by her husband.

Rahab was a prostitute and Bethseba committed adultery with David. Both were ancestors of Jesus. So much for a pure line. This perplexing New Wine that is always turning our notions upside down.

There will be the time to judge, and that is not now. There will be a time to love actively and that's in many instances not now too depending on the environment and opportunities where you live but there is almost always the need to stand with the Father to learn from him and painfully wait.

If you have not learned how to wait, I doubt you know how to love. Love is patient and kind, it does not insist on its own way...

Being patient means you wait alright. For too many people now is always the best time. They just can't wait and they don't understand. Just like the MDA can't wait and also don't understand. They just happen to be the latest silly example. Their detractors also suffer from the same condition but have the benefit of justly reacting.  Who would have thought that Laura Munson's story held lessons for first class public policy making too, but I am asking way too much from our public servants. Pastors often fall as short on their calling too. That's life. Well, just to remind myself how unjustified such men and women placed in positions that have great impact of our lives should not think too much of their abilities and contributions.