When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, he wrote this in Chapter 12: “I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.” But he also writes, just a few verses later, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
This year has been a difficult year for many of us, but the difficulty has been eased by many in our community. Sometimes they have eased that difficulty by doing something specific that serves our “Jesus Centered Community of Scripture, Faith, and Grace,” in some manifest way that is experienced by the whole community. Other times, these people have made life easier in our community by just being themselves and bringing a smile to our faces. These people have served us, challenged us, prayed for us, and most importantly – they have received the grace of God with us by our side as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Partially due to the difficulty this year, I am pulling up an old University Lutheran tradition from years ago and reshaping it some. This tradition used to be called “The Senior Roast,” and it was a time for us to honor our graduating seniors and poke a little fun at them. This year, we’re doing that again, but we’re opening it up to everyone in our community, and so we’re calling it “The University Lutheran Awards”.
After one of the first senior roasts, I was approached by a mother of one of our seniors. She said, after having watched the Roast, “I can tell you really know him.” That was a special moment for me because it reinforced the point that I really did know that senior – that I was a better person for having known him, and that our community was better for having had him in our midst. God had sent him into our midst so that we could marvel in his gifts and forgive his errors.
We don’t know what the Resurrection is going to be like, but I hope that it’s an awards night / roast night format. Not because I hope to receive any kind of award, but rather, because I want to marvel at how well I am known by Christ. This awards night is just a foretaste of that feast to come, when we are shown by our heavenly Father how well we are known (including our sins and good deeds), and how much we are loved.
Please click here for the Awards Night video. (coming soon)