Agitators

Agitate (verb): to excite and often trouble the mind or feelings of; to disturb; to discuss excitedly and earnestly; to stir up public discussion of; to give motion to; to attempt to arouse public feeling

The wildfires in the Los Angeles area have been on my mind the past few weeks, as they have been on a great many peoples’ minds. I grew up just south of the affected area, in the shade of the 5 Freeway and then later the 91. (Oh, I know, I’m one of those *woke* Californians. **insert long eyeroll here**) I’ve been to some of the places that burned and know some of those who have been affected. And my heart weeps for the vitriol of comments that have flooded social media, ranging in variety from “They deserve it” to “This was God’s wrath” to “Who cares about California?”

Whole communities have been wiped out. Lives have been lost. It will take decades for some to even recover. And people are mocking that tragedy, going so far as to even state that funds to help with rebuilding should come with caveats and strings attached.

But then, I also see signs of hope…. from places that are opening their doors to welcome those affected by the fires to hearing of firefighters coming from pretty much all over the world to help. There are stories of people risking their lives to rescue beloved pets of random strangers and tales of generosity and magic. The negativity and the hate are being replaced by glimmers of light and love, those little bits of magic that make me think that just maybe the vitriol is just a small part of a bigger and better picture.

And even this past week has been quite a week! There was a great deal that has been going on, with a great many emotions. But one thing I will highlight is a sermon that was given. It was a sermon that a great many are talking about. It was a sermon on mercy and unity, things I have written about in this very blog. Yet the sermon giver has been called a great many things. Her sermon has been deemed “too political” for church, even as it stressed that we must love everyone as Jesus has loved. One member of Congress called for her deportation though she is an American citizen by birthright. Others have called her woke, demonic, un-Christian, and un-American just for speaking the words that so many others have tried to speak.

To say that people have been agitated is an understatement.

But while Bishop Budde’s words seemed to fall on deaf ears at the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral, they didn’t fall flat. Her message wasn’t just being given to the people in the most powerful positions in the United States’ government, but to every person who was willing to hear. And while she is being disdained by some for being “too political” and *gasp* a female bishop when “the Bible clearly says” otherwise (note my sarcasm here… that’s for a different blog though), her message is reaching far and wide.

It should never be “too political” to love your neighbor and to show anyone mercy.

Tragedy should never be mocked.

None of us can do this life alone, even if we think we can. We need people who can support us in times of tragedy. We need strangers and friends alike who push us to be our favorite selves. We need others who will agitate us, whether for good or bad.

It’s the agitators who make the world go round.

Like the agitator in the washing machine that not only moves the water but thrashes the clothes, we need people who will agitate us to make us our favorite self. We need people who will challenge us to be better and do better. We need people who are willing to speak out and remind us that we are falling off the very path we profess to tread. And we can’t put bullseyes on their backs when they speak out against us when.

I am a child of the 80s, one of the last of Generation X to be born.

I grew up on Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. I was taught to treat others the way I wanted to be treated and to look past the outside appearance of a person to see what was inside. I was taught it’s better to give a hand than to judge, to help those in need, to be with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

And now, it feels like that sort of thinking agitates people.

But it was how we all were raised, wasn’t it? What was expected?

I think I’ll end this post with some more words of Bishop Budde, who was interviewed by Time Magazine:

I think it’s all of us, you know. I think it’s not about me. It’s about the kind of country we are called to be. And that’s what I did my best to try and speak to, to present an alternative to the culture of contempt, and to say that we can bring multiple perspectives into a common space and do so with dignity and respect. And that we need that, and the culture of contempt is threatening to destroy us.

Stay magical, friends.

Write your own story.

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