Party as Protest

In defining what shalom is, Lisa Sharon Harper gives this definition: “God created the world in a web of relationships that overflowed with forceful goodness.” As we’ve been thinking about throwing a good party this week, we’ve been really thinking about how to bring into being this kind of shalom - encouraging a vibrant web of relationships that powerfully generate goodness in the world.

Jesus promises to be with us as we gather, producing by the Spirit this kind of goodness - whether it’s a birthday party or a baby shower, a church small group or a concert at a bar. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” - Matthew 20:22

So many times, these sorts of gatherings are the very place where we find the strength to push back on the bleakness of the world. When election results or work stress or financial pressure get us down, they threaten to snuff out our hope. And when we’ve been pushed out of the center of society, when we’ve experienced trauma (often at the hand of the very people who should have protected us), it’s so easy to give up on believing that God has something good in store for us. But in our gatherings with others, we get to both grieve and rejoice together, we speak encouragement and as we help each other, and we leave having filled up our empty tanks.

In this sense, a good party is really a protest. It’s a way to have our lights lit by each other to push against the darkness, to press on for another day in the kindom of God.

Think about the next time you’ll gather with people, whether at work or at play. How might you show up with this new approach? Could you even plan to be a bit more open to receiving encouragement? Could you think about how you might give it, either explicitly or just by bringing more joy with you?