Jul 13 | Five Smooth Stones

This is an adapted version of something I posted on Twitter. I shared it as a reflection accompanying Morning Prayer the morning after a few bishops at General Synod 2019 voted not to pass the motion on the Marriage Canon, which would have allowed same-sex couples to marry (rather than simply have their unions blessed) in the Anglican Church of Canada. The passage assigned for the lectionary that morning (really!) was 1 Samuel 17:31-49, the battle between David and Goliath.

Reading this, I’m struck by two things.

Now I’m going to do my best to be “professional” and say that what we should take away from this story is David’s reckless faith in the Lord of hosts…

But I need to confess, my family, that the stone sinking into the giant’s forehead and striking him down made me feel a little happy.

And also, perhaps there’s something to be said for the moment when David removes Saul’s armour. Perhaps we clothe ourselves too much in the armour of those who would do us harm with their words. Those words could be hateful speech, but honestly also Scripture.

Hear me out!

It has been made clear over the course of thirty years that progressive and conservative Christians will not be able to meet in the middle on Scripture. I could argue about the meanings of the terrible texts until I’m blue in the face, and I will never change anyone’s mind. And I don’t even want to anymore.

It is not a philosophical exercise, this debate over people’s lives and loves and identities. I refuse to allow for that. We armour ourselves with our stories, and while I often feel rage that we are forced to do that when it has been proven they will not be held with respect, it remains that witnessing us, seeing us and our relationships, is what truly changes people.

Perhaps that too is a call with its own beauty. For we were forced into closets and ill-fitting “protective” armour, and yet God has always called us to be seen: no armour, no helmet, armed only with the smooth stones of our stories.

So let us mourn if we need to, for there is a season for all things. But when we feel ready, let us stand up and be reckless in our faith in the God who has liberated us. Like beautiful Clare Urquhart said so bravely said last night, we KNOW we are blessed. We KNOW we are loved.

Let’s act like it.

Let’s be prophets.

Let’s take our story-stones and slay some dragons.