Who doesn't limp?

I was doing some research for a class project about preaching at funerals. One of my sources was a book called Accompany Them with Singing – The Christian Funeral written by Thomas Long.

In it, he quotes the late Rev. Billy Graham (love him, hate him, or somewhere in between) when he was asked by an interviewer about then-Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura’s remark that religion is just a crutch.

Graham responded lucidly,

“Maybe, but who doesn’t limp?”

*Mic drop*

During ‘good times’ it’s easy to think that we’re strong and self-sufficient. That there’s everlasting certainty and security in life. We’ve made all the right moves and, therefore, don’t have much to worry about.

From this standpoint, people with crutches are weakling outliers. The world would be better if we’d just move past them and get back to living the good life. You know, the rational life that we have all figured out.

I’ve been there. I know how it is to feel on top of my game like the laggards are just bringing everyone down.

Ugh…
Christ, have mercy.

Right now, a lot of us are seeing how flawed this glory-based view of the world is. So many people are experiencing suffering in a multitude of ways and there’s not much they can do about it. The limp we’ve always had is really starting to act up in today’s pandemical moment.

Yes, we all walk with a limp. For some of us, it’s easier to ignore that limp than it is for others.

And that’s where we find the God that’s proclaimed in Christ. Not when we’re sprinting, but when we’re limping.

There’s no shame in grabbing that crutch.
Let’s limp through this thing together.

Grace & Godspeed,
Jonas