Pentecost Offering

Who are your teachers? I don’t necessarily mean academic instructors or even your favorite Sunday school teacher. Who are your “real” teachers?

People we have never met, in stories we hear on the evening news, can be our teachers. When violence and tragedy erupt in our community and we can connect with true empathy, followed by nonjudgmental action, that can teach us.

When we see people in our churches, neighborhoods, and business community addressing problems with creativity and compassion and putting their resources to work for the good of all, they become our teachers.

When we mentor a child, send a young person to a life-changing camp or conference, or sponsor a young adult volunteering a year of service and ministry, our participation in and witness of their journey become our teacher. The Holy Spirit is the Great Teacher. The followers of Jesus, gathered in the upper room on Pentecost, could never have imagined how their day would unfold. It is difficult for all of us to accept that our cherished realities are so fragile and easily deconstructed. In a heartbeat, perceived absolutes shatter. Dogma doesn’t matter. Tradition is kaput. All bets are off. From this point forward, life as we know it has changed.

It may come in the form of a rushing wind, a life-altering event, an unexpected loss, a transformative moment, or a still, small voice speaking a truth we cannot deny. But it will come. It is the force that moves us forward and gives our lives meaning. It is the promise of Pentecost.