Walk On

Have you ever felt marginalized?

mar·gin·al·ize tr.v. mar·gin·al·ized, mar·gin·al·iz·ing, mar·gin·al·iz·es

To relegate or confine to a lower or outer limit or edge, as of social standing

I have. I've felt that way at different times in my life for different reasons. It's not very fun. I suspect there are more people out there than we think who have felt this way. One of the things I am beginning to realize about Jesus is how much he loves the marginalized. He had/has compassion for the outcasts and misfits. If the world forgets you, he remembers. During his ministry on this rock we call earth, he hung out with some pretty out there folks. Who is reaching out to them now, in his name? I know I haven't the way I should, but pray he helps me.

I remember being at Dragoncon in Atlanta a few years ago. It's a sci-fi, goth, fantasy, weirdo, geek, kinda thing. You wanna talk about your marginalized. Anyway, I remember seeing this goth dude at his band's booth. I would usually look at these people with, shall we say, less than desirable thoughts. But something really weird happened. I saw the guy start smiling and laughing with the person he was talking to. For a split second he wasn't so 'fringe' anymore. He wasn't disturbing or weird. He was me. We weren't that different after all. Such a small thing, but very profound. I wondered, who reaches out to him? What did I do? Kept on walking. I'm a piece of crap like that sometimes.

btw, count me as one of the weirdos referred to above. :)