The Outsiders
A lineage of faithful grit.
Hagar “The foreigner,” whose name was stolen, Whose body was used, A mere possession, Abused and forced to flee. You Rose. Your son lived, He claimed the inheritance promised to you by God, A lineage to rival Abraham’s, Your grandchildren were princes, You named God “A God who sees me.” You are not forgotten. Tamar A dangerous woman, A foreign wife, A scapegoat for men’s misdeeds. Cast aside when circumstances changed. You Rose. With trickery, disguise, and the few weapons women had to wield. Recognized as more righteous than Judah, You reclaimed your rightful place, In the line of the Savior. You are not forgotten. Ruth A wife from afar, An immigrant to a new land, Vulnerable and poor, Brave and faithful. You Rose. You listened, You improvised. Using the gifts you were given, Asking that the law of the land be upheld. From your line, one of kinsmen redeemers, come the final redeemer. You are not forgotten. Bathsheba Torn from your husband, Abused by a powerful man, Grieved by the loss of your child, Bruised but not broken. You rose. You healed. You raised Solomon, from child to king. And he placed you on a throne at his right hand, Honoring your fortitude and your wisdom, Your name appears in the line of the true king. You are not forgotten. Mary An unwed mother, cast into suspicion. An immigrant, fleeing from an evil king, for the sake of her child’s safety. You Rose. And so did your Son. You continued to ponder these things in your heart. You watched Him grow, Encouraged and supported his ministry, Saw his miracles, You walked with him, steadfast, strong, faithful. You are not forgotten. Immigrant, foreigner, homeless, day laborer, abuse survivor, displaced due to persecution, willing to risk it all for your children. We see you. You shaped our faith. We will remember you, And those who follow your paths of hardship. We will advocate, We will serve, We will partner with, We will remember – That whatever we do for our brothers and sisters, We do for you.
I’m still processing recent events, and I hesitate to write much before my own emotions have settled. But I am willing to share what has and continues to remain true in my home and my heart: we serve a God who cares for the marginalized. A God who not only cares for but centers the stories of the outsiders. Christ’s own lineage is a series of plot twists; a beautiful chain of the unexpected heroine stepping forward in courage and faith.
I believe that God desires his people to emulate His care for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the outsiders. This space will remain dedicated to sharing those truths, and the spiritual narratives that reflect God’s care and respect for all people and the earth he created.
Recommendations
I wrote an article for NCR on the connections between two brilliant exhibits I saw while in DC: ‘Two art exhibits in DC Widen our perspectives of their moment in history’.
In theme with this piece, Kelly Latimore’s Tent City Nativity brings out such a raw tenderness of the nativity.
The Advent series with Jesuit Media Lab! The theme for this year’s daily reflections is Waiting & Wassailing. Link to follow along Here.
wrote a stunning piece on ‘when suffering scares our friends away.’ It is tender, honest, and brings us to consider not only our friendships but also how we honor the people we’re becoming.The incomparable
wrote a piece ‘On lament’ and it possesses that gorgeous quality of writing that stays with you, lingering in your mind and percolating. It is beautiful, real, and pertinent to so much in our broken world.That is all for now. I have some fun plans for December to keep an eye out! Thank you for taking the time to read; I appreciate you.
With care, Alli