I believe we have to ask questions, not just of others, but of ourselves. To ask ourselves if the people, ideological positions, or personalities we align ourselves with reflect the love, grace, and acceptance of Christ.

If it is the sin of seeking the knowledge of God that brings death in the Garden, it will be the knowledge of God that gives life through Christ. It is this knowledge of the divine that Paul believes we receive in the gifting of the Spirit.

Life in the Spirit isn’t just about our corporate identity, it also defines our personal identity. Being in the Spirit means being transformed, being shown, being called, being identified, being gifted, and being included as those who radiate the image of God in the world.

Following the gifting of the Spirit on Pentecost, we enter into an extended season in the Church, which we call “Ordinary Time.” It is a time to reflect on the life of Christ as a model for the life of the Church. This is the life of one living in the Spirit.

Mercy is not a quid pro quo offering. God’s hesed is not offered because we have earned it, or given God anything for it. God’s graciousness is not granted because of anything we have done to warrant it. It is given because it is the nature of God to be merciful.

The work of doing justice means advocating for the equality of the LGBTQ community. It means seeing the created image of God in each person, and lifting up those who are torn down. It means speaking on behalf of those who are not given a voice, or centering their voice to ensure their voice is heard.

The way of God is the way of justice, and throughout the Biblical text, this way is defined as a way where each of – all of us – every one of humanity is given an equal path.

You may be asking, as many of us are, how do we get through this pandemic? What gets us to the promised land, where we can gather again? What gets us through the night to welcome a new dawn? What does God want from us? What does God want from me? The answer is living with God, and living for others.