I recently received the gift of a new t-shirt from Open Table UMC in our district that says on the front “Love Your Neighbor, #noexceptions” and it reminded me of the following passage of scripture…
“You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire…So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in a wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline…And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” – Colossians 3:9,12,14, The Message
It also reminded me of someone who I’ve watched grow up in the church I’ve been a member of for 25 years and have followed on Facebook after they graduated from high school. Their name is Jacob Tobia and I could have told you there was something special about him from my brief interactions when he was in elementary school in a Sunday School class I taught occasionally. Jacob is incredibly smart and artistic. I began to notice creativity in the clothes Jacob wore to church during the middle and high school years and watched the expressions of Jacob’s identity flourish while he was a student at Duke University and over recent years since they have graduated and begun working as a performer, writer, TV personality, and human rights activist. Jacob’s first memoir, Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story is in the works and he has recently been named to the Biden Foundation’s Advisory Council for Advancing LGBTQ Equality. Jacob’s writing and advocacy has been featured on MSNBC, MTV, The Washington Post, The New York Times, TIME and more. I am most proud of Jacob for their humanitarian efforts. They love deeply, care about all people, and offers education to anyone who will listen.
I do not fully understand what it has been like for Jacob, but I am grateful that they can help people who struggle with gender identity and who struggle to communicate their journey of self-discovery with others. I am grateful that Jacob has a family who loves and accepts them and embraces their gifts.
Over the last couple of weeks Jacob has been in town and has been able to join us for worship. This past Sunday they were wearing a cute sundress and heels and lipstick and they and their mom sat near the front of the church to participate in worship including Holy Communion. I checked in with them to make sure that warm welcomes have been felt and I’ve been told, “Yes! Very much so.”
I’m proud of my church family who may not all fully understand Jacob, but who are wearing a wardrobe of love for one of our own. Jacob is a child of God, has sacred worth and was baptized and confirmed and nurtured in our church. I suspect Jacob would say that we’ve made some mistakes but their attendance in church with us when they are in town shows that grace is offered back to us for the times when we may have failed out of our lack of understanding. We are simply called to love one another. #noexceptions
If you would like to print or share this edition of Claire…ification,
you are encouraged to use this pdf:
Claire – Wearing the All-Purpose Garment of Love
To read past editions – you are encouraged to follow this link:
https://capitaldistrictnc.org/claire-ificaton/
