Belonging

Several years ago when we were traveling with a healing ministry we found ourselves in Nashville, TN for a free evening.  We went to see the movie Antwone Fisher.  Briefly, the story is about a foster child who was abused, had lost contact with his family and was carrying a lot of anger into his stint in the navy.  One of the lead characters, a psychologist played by Denzel Washington, encouraged Antwone to find his family.

After a search, Antwone found his family and was invited home for a banquet where he was welcomed by his extended family...a family he had never known.  I was touched deeply by the scene because it hit a wounded spot in my heart.

I thought about that scene again the other day after Pat and I had been in Washington DC with her sister for a couple of days on a weekend.  Since we've been adults I don't think the three of us have spent any time like that just hanging out.  The crowd has always been bigger and there has been other agenda.  On my side of the family we only have a reunion over a short weekend every two years, hardly time to get to know your relatives very well.

In this case, I was the focus of the encounter.  My future and the future of my wife were at stake.  Jennifer was helping me to put my resume together for some possible government jobs.  I value her opinion because she is traveling in that world.  She also helped me to work on interviewing skills.  I've never been to a high-powered interview before.  In most cases I've found my jobs within my network of friends.  She grilled me to toughen me up for the stressful face-to-face job interview.

I wasn't sure just what to make of the time the three of us had together.  My sister has always lived at great distances from me and we have never spent much time just hanging out.  I've had a lot of friends but have always felt a little "outside" of those circles.  It was a little difficult for me to get a handle on the fact that someone close to me in my family (that alone is something to get my heart around) would be willing to be my advocate, would be willing to go to bat for me.

Jennifer didn't hold back, didn't patronize me, didn't let me rest easy.  She asked me to step up to the plate and consider the experiences that I have had and the expertise I have developed over the years.  I believe she really heard me and genuinely encouraged me to consider more than what I have looked for in the past.  I guess what made her more believable to me was that she was part of my family, part of the intimate group of people who have seen me at my best and worst.

Belonging to an intimate group of people, who have your back, who will stand with you regardless of the circumstances, who will cheer you on to the greater heights you are meant to soar in...I'm still not sure what that feels like all the time.  I catches glimpses of that occasionally, just as I did when Antwone walked into that intimate family gathering and they welcomed him with open arms.

While I may not experience that much in this life, I can look forward to joining the banquet of the Lamb and being part of that intimate family for eternity.