#royalpriest

Stardate 20240820

Day: Summer

It’s Tuesday. I survived the retreat. I did lose my voice, but not completely so we were still able to continue. My first session did not go as well as I’d hoped. I overestimated my audience by planning for undirected discussion, not remembering that I had to train my college students and my movie night crew how to do that.

The second session was better. I explained the logic behind what I was trying to accomplish first. Then I scaffolded by doing the first part together before finally giving them a chance to try it in small groups.

I was not terribly impressed with the content I was teaching, even up to the last session. It was very intellectual, very abstract, very useless. It was true, but it didn’t have any punch. We were talking about our identity as royal priests. On the last day, I felt a need to be alone for a bit, so I went behind the venue for my quiet time. While I was reading, I noticed two goats down on the soccer field.

Deciding to extend my isolation a little bit, I grabbed my camera and went down to get a picture. As I got close, I noticed that they were tangled in the netting of he soccer goal. At that moment, I had a choice—was i going to leave them for someone else to take care of, or would I risk it and try to free them?

Saying a quick prayer that I learned in the Philippines, “Creation welcomes me,” I put down my camera and got to work. The male goat was very tangled. I spoke calmingly to him as I brought the net back and forth over his horns. There was one point that he was so enmeshed, I had to physically pick him up. “Don’t struggle. Shhh.” Finally, I was able to free him. The female was much easier. She was tangled, but I think she could have freed herself if she wasn’t providing moral support for her man.

After releasing them both, I started back to the venue, but the two goats followed me. When I turned back to look, the male walked up to me and bowed before going back to his late breakfast. I turned and started up the stairs and was hit with a blast of God’s presence. “You are my priest.” My spirit staggered under the weight of it. I got back to the venue barely holding it together, but when I entered, I did not see my fellow attendees—I saw God’s sheep. I saw them as he sees them, struggling and and entangled but longing for freedom. I realized the significance of our calling as royal priests. I saw the honor in helping others to untangle the knots in their lives.

In the conclusion, I shared this story with the audience. For some of them, I know they got it; I could see it in their tears. I’m glad I was able to go. I don’t know what anyone else got from the experience, but I know I left better than I came.