Introduction
When preparing to teach and starting the writing process, I usually let my mind both wonder and wander, which usually includes many trips down random thought trails. Through this process I will dig up old memories, recall obscure historical or entertainment references, or be reminded of seemingly boring life details that make me stop and reflect. This week that wandering led me to recall what I write in birthday cards and how they vary so greatly between children and adults. I realized that when I write to my young niblings, my notes are full of dreams about what the next year will hold in their young lives, imagining who they will become until the next card. But with adults, there is no curiosity about their growth and development, just standard well wishing and some explanation as to the reason they’re receiving the gift card to (insert retailer).
When reading Galatians, chapter 2 in particular, it reads like this same growth, dreaming, and possibilities are missing too. There is no child-like awe of growing another year older, becoming the person you’ve yet to become. Rather, it reads like the Galatians are stuck as boring adults who can’t and won’t change. If Paul were writing to the American Church today, I believe that same chastisement would be seen – collectively we are boring adults who can’t and won’t change and any attempt to do so invokes an identity crisis. Let’s dig in this week to see what it meant for the Galatians to be called out for their strongly-held identities and how we can work to regain our child-like wonder in growing our faith in Christ.
Shannon Barrowcliff and the teaching team
