Daily Word of Grace # 81 (July 7, 2020)
As a little kid, and years later as a father of little kids, I enjoyed Dr. Seuss books, especially Green Eggs and Ham and Oh, the Places You’ll Go!. One of my favorite quotes attributed to Dr. Seuss (also attributed to author Robert Fulghum) is the following: “We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love.” Along these lines in the Academy Award winning 1997 film Good Will Hunting a therapist named Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) gives the following input to Will Hunting (Matt Damon) who is insecure about his relationship with his girlfriend Skylar (Minnie Driver): “We get to choose who we let into our weird little worlds. You’re not perfect, sport. And let me save you the suspense. This girl you met, she isn’t perfect either. But the question is: whether or not you’re perfect for each other. That’s the whole deal. That’s what intimacy is all about.” Many times in pastoral ministry I have heard someone tell me something to the effect of “You’re gonna think I’m weird…” before sharing something about their life. Most of the time I do not think they’re weird at all, at least not as weird as I am in some ways. Dr. Seuss and Dr. Maguire are both right—“we’re all a little weird” and “we get to choose who we let into our weird little worlds.” The good news of the gospel is that God knows how weird we all are and loves our weird little world so much he gave his Son for it (John 3:16). There is therefore no need to be afraid to let God into our weird little worlds, or weird little lives.
Love and Prayers,
Dave