"Beloved, precious child of God, and beautiful to behold".
~Janet Wolf
This story was told by Janet Wolf, a pastor of a diverse United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. She describes the church as having people of power and PhDs and folks who only have a few grades of school. Some of the folks are wealthy with two houses while others live on the streets. Some struggle with mental illness and differences and others are abled people who are broken.
Fayette lived with mental illness and lupus and had no home. She joined the new members class at her church. Janet, the pastor, described baptism to the class as—“this holy moment when we are named by God’s grace with such power it won’t come undone." It especially made an impression on Fayette and during the class, Fayette would ask again and again, “And when I’m baptized, I am…?” The class learned to respond, "Beloved, precious child of God, and beautiful to behold." Fayette would say, "Oh, yes!" Then the class resumed their discussion.
On the day of Fayett's baptism, Janet explained that when Fayette was immersed in the water, she came out spluttering, ‘"And now I am…?" And everyone joyfully proclaimed, "Beloved, precious child of God, and beautiful to behold." Fayette shouted, "Oh, yes!" as she danced around the room.
Two months later Janet received a phone call stating that Fayette had been beaten and raped. She immediately went to the hospital and found her pacing the room. Janet could hear her saying to herself. "I am beloved". When Fayette saw Janet she announced, "I am beloved, precious child of God"... and then she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror with a dirty, torn dress, hair in disarray, and blood and tears streaking her face. She glanced in the mirror again and announced, "I am beloved, precious child of God, and God is still working on me. If you come back tomorrow, I'll be so beautiful I'll take your breath away!"
"Beloved, precious child of God, and beautiful to behold"--what arises in you when you hear this phrase and Fayette's experience? This story disturbs and challenges me. I smile and at the same time tears well up in my eyes. I feel blessed at her joy of knowing that she is God's precious child and angered for the violence done to her. Like Fayette, we are all precious children of God. We are chosen by "God’s grace with such power it won’t come undone". How will we live so that others will know and believe themselves to be chosen and loved by God?
Reflection:
1. What feelings does this story raise for you?
2. What does this phrase mean to you? "Beloved, precious child of God, and
beautiful to behold". You are chosen by "God's grace with such power it won't come
undone."
3. How can we live in a way that others will know and believe they are precious children
of God?
Reference:
Richardson, J. (Jan. 2010). The Painted Prayerbook, Epiphany 1: Baptized and Beloved,
[Janet Wolf’s story is from The Upper Room Disciplines 1999, Nashville: The Upper Room, and told by Jan Richarson]
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