there ’ s nothing for us to grasp .
The rough edges give us a grip to hold .
We don ’ t need to run from the edges , the imperfections , the unfiltered , as we ’ ve done far too often in the religious world .
We all know that we have unresolved issues , shameful memories , and selfcontradictions residing in us , and those collective experiences can connect us . Our rough edges give others an ability to connect and hold on to us , and others ’ rough edges allow us to connect with others . When someone ’ s life is perceived as too perfect , we have no ability to connect .
Our humanity , with all its flaws and contradictions , can be the very thing that unites us . This isn ’ t to say that the terrible atrocities of racism or abuse need to be dismissed as “ people just
being people .” Those sins need to be dealt with , and the church needs to repent of the way it has too often sided with the powerful victimizer over the victim .
But it doesn ’ t have to end there .
The popular saying that the church is full of hypocrites isn ’ t true . The church isn ’ t full of hypocrites . There ’ s always room for another . Because that ’ s what we all are .
When we own up to the ways we have displayed our dust through the power of confession and honesty , we can see our shared need for grace .
When we acknowledge that the line between good and evil doesn ’ t run between us and them but down the middle of us all , our shared need for redemption can bring us together and enable us to move into new phases of
50 • Solutions