By: Jer
(Technically this is Day 2, but I got sick on Day 1 and could barely stay awake after all the traveling).
At the past two residentials, we started off with being asked to think of a word that would describe the last few months. This time, my word was a simple one: Fun. I’ve had a lot of fun over the past few months. It helps that it was summer, but it’s more than that. It’s really been about engaging in the spiritual exercise of play. Over the summer and even into the school year, there’s been a ton of playing that’s been happening on our street. On almost a daily basis, we were outside with our neighbours, riding our bikes, playing basketball, and just having community. There’s nothing productive about it. Besides the fact that I have somehow become the unofficial bike mechanic (where hopefully no one gets hurt), it’s been a lot of fun.
So often, we feel like we have to relate and be serious with others all the time. Yet, having fun and enjoying our relationships is vital to the community that we have. The reality is that Jesus played. It’s normally why He got into so much trouble, because He had too much fun and didn’t care who He played with. Our tendency is to play on our own, but when we invite others to play with us, something spiritual happens. We show them a little more about what the kingdom of God is about, that it’s also something to be enjoyed.
As I enter into this last residential at Arrow, I must acknowledge that this is an area that has changed for me. My natural inclination is to be fairly introverted and antisocial. I really don’t like talking with people that I don’t know. Yet, even I reluctantly will admit that I can be 10% more friendly and surprisingly enough, it’s been kind of fun.