Shadows: Part 1 (State Street)

Sorry about the "more thoughts on freedom tomorrow" tease.  It's coming as Part two of this series.

When I'm not enjoying my life doing all things teaching team related at Midtown Fellowship, I often find myself working at Cafe Strudel to pay the bills.  The thing about Cafe Strudel is that it's located on State Street in West Columbia, which at one point was the booming western counterpart to the successfully urbanized and developed downtown Columbia (our state's capital and our church's main stomping grounds).  Somewhere along the way West Columbia found out it was the red-headed stepchild of the family (so to speak) and has become -- how do you say -- somewhat run down.  Don't bring your kids to state street late at night.  You've been warned.

I like to call State Street the Bohemian center of Columbia.  At night it is the home to scenesters, punk rockers, metalheads, dirty kids, emo kids -- essentially a collection of kids who reject many societal norms in trade for alternative choices in fashion, piercing, tattoo, lifestyle, etc.  -- you know, self-expression.  During the day Cafe Strudel and House Coffee is a haven for homosexuals, coffee shop philosophers, artists, politicians and the like.  I'll be honest -- middle-aged Christians do not fit in and are not well liked -- mostly because they don't tip well.

So here's my deal:  I don't hate any of these people.  I don't feel any need to judge them.  I want them all to know Jesus.  I want them to know real life.  I want them to know freedom from addiction.  I try to hard to watch myself for legalism and judgment.  I'm pretty serious when I say that I love a good number of these people.  I've invested in their lives.  I want what's best for them.  My heart breaks for them.

Here's the interesting thing: rarely do the "bad things" in their lives break my heart.  The drug abuse and the sexual promiscuity and deviance and all the other blatant forms of sin are somewhat numbing after a while.  Nevermind the fact that they are expected behaviors from people who hate, don't believe in or are actively choosing to rebel against any notion of God and what He wants.  Here's what really breaks my heart thought:  shadows of truth in their life.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about:  Many of the locals from State Street are somewhat voluntarily or involuntarily ostracized from their family.  They could be loners and veg out in their various apartments, but they don't.  They spend time on State Street.  The intentionally spend time together.  They know they need family.  They legitimately love each other and try to take care of each other.

Shadows are glimpses of truth in twisted and adulterated forms.  They aren't substantial.  But they point to something real.  Shadows break my heart.  Shadows are so close to the real thing.  But in the end, they only reaffirm someone's position far from God as acceptable.  "At least these people here accept me for who I am. . . "

I'm going to spend some time talking about shadows: fake versions of good things.  On the docket are freedom, love and generosity.  Let me know if you want me to comment on anything else, or if you recognize evidence of shadows in your world.