God refutes Jeremiah’s attempt to deny his calling on the basis that he was too young to serve. God overcomes the difficulties presented by Abraham and Sarah’s advanced ages and fulfills the promises God makes to them.
“Who, me?” we may think. “I’m too young – or too old – to do that.” Whether externally established or self-imposed, our assumptions about age and gender can become barriers to full inclusion and participation. Those barriers, often unspoken, sometimes remain unrecognized until someone has the courage to question them. In some congregations, those who wish to serve as ushers, communion assistants, acolytes, readers or altar guild members may be told they are “too old,” too young,” or the “wrong” gender – factors that are incidental, not intrinsic to one’s talent and ability. Defining ourselves primarily in terms of gender or age can keep us from acknowledging our God-given gifts or pursuing our callings.
This is excerpted from the Bible study “All Are Welcome” by Julie Kanarr in the May 2018 Gather Magazine.
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