I am among the privileged.

 I am among the privileged.

I attended a private liberal arts college.
I have a master's degree.
I am a homeowner.
I own an economical low emissions vehicle.
I bubble in 'white' on all my forms.
I am a cisgender female.

I am among the privileged.

I was bused across town in the 6th grade.
I became a minority within the confines of school and our circle of friends.
As a teenager, I was taunted when out in public with my closest friends.
I was called 'oreo' or vanilla from the outside world when my friends and I ate dinner in restaurants or walked the mall.

I am among the privileged. 

I am a female clergy.
At the age of 26, I was the youngest and only 1 of 2 females within my ordination class.
I became the first female clergy ever to lead a church in Macon County, Tennessee.
I have experienced discrimination among both males and females, both laity and clergy.

I am among the privileged.

I have walked as a minority in different seasons within my life.
I have felt the heartache of racism and hit the glass ceiling of being female in a male-dominated world.
But I am among the privileged.

I am among the privileged.

I will never fully know the fear of my brothers and sisters whose skin tone is a different shade.
I will never stand in the shoes of those who are working hard to be bilingual in hopes that they might find their place within our community.
I will never feel the deep heartache and brokenness of being baptized in the holiness of God's family only to have that same community draw a line in the sand to say that you are not enough because of sexual orientation or gender assignment. 
I will never have to keep my eyes to the ground because my head covering has become a sign of 'terrorism' instead of my faith.
I will never know what it is like to work a job that does not pay a livable way.

I am among the privileged.

Being among the privileged means that I must use that privilege.  I must stand for those who are gunned down while jogging in their own community. I must use my voice to call out the hatred and division of those whose sexual createdness is a beautiful expression of God's breathtaking creation. I must use my resources to build bridges that celebrate cultural diversity. 

I am among the privileged.

You are among the privileged.

When will we, the privileged come together to create communities and houses of worship that raise one another up instead of tearing them down?  When will we, the privileged come together to embrace instead of closing our circle shutting others out? When will we, the privileged choose love over hate?

I am among the privileged.