Lessons from Key West-Volume 3

OK, so I'm on a roll today...three posts! Inspired, I guess.

This is "women's week" in Key West. For a town that celebrates it's openly homosexual population, there are a lot of gay men, but in many cases fewer gay women. But the lesbians come to town in full force during "women's week." Needless top say, there are many lesbian couples almost everywhere you go.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I spent the late afternoon at the Hogs Breath Saloon, a Key West favorite, with as eclectic a mix of people as you'll find anywhere in the U.S., maybe the world. The band started at 5:00 PM, and I watched them set-up.

The lead singer was a young woman, although to see her dress and her mannerisms, you might have thought otherwise. Now for a bit of honesty! I pride myself on being "open" to a variety of lifestyles. Despite my call to ministry, expecially in the Lutheran church that has struggled with TRUE acceptance, I have always been pretty accepting of all. I thought...

Even in college, at Lock Haven University, there was a large lesbian population. I got pretty used to lots of "alternative" behaviors.

And yet, there I was...judging! Yep, I was judging (in my own mind) this young woman. Judging her dress. Judging her "perceived" lifestyle. She went on to openly admit her preferences, and I was the typical heterosexual Christian snob.

Then she sang!

Her voice was so melodic. almost angelic. I was transformed by her giftedness.

A GIFTED child of God.

How dare I judge.
How dare I assume anything about this young woman without viewing her through the lens that our Lord views her....as a gifted CHILD.

I was a bit humbled. I recalled my time with the turtles this morning. All I saw was what I percieved to be her limitations. How dare I. She was a beautiful child of God, who blessed with a gift for music that helped me transcend my own prejudices, opened me to a side of her that I might have never been willing to see.

So much for practicing Grace.

So much for being open to God's presence in the world.

It was a reminder that I have a long way to go in dealing with my own "isms." Thank God for this young woman, for the music that she produced, both on stage and in her own life. And forgive me Lord for my rush to judgement.