Tom knew his proposal was...
Illustration
Tom knew his proposal was not going to be popular. Not so long ago, that would have made a difference to him, enough of a difference that he would have backed down. His ego used to get in his way quite a lot. But now, having experienced what it was like to act on his true feelings, what people thought didn't seem to matter so much any more. He was who he was. He'd spent most of his life trying to accept others on that level, but realized he had not extended the same grace to himself. And that was exactly what had turned him around, grace. He had been struck by it nearly a month ago, listening to a discussion in an adult Sunday school class. It wasn't that his classmates were saying anything he hadn't heard before; but this time he really heard the words -- THE WORD, he supposed; the so-called "Good News." And as the awesomeness of the message sank in, he felt transformed. Oh, he didn't look any different on the outside. But he was totally changed within. He found himself reinterpreting his entire value system in light of what it meant to be loved just because he was Tom; what it meant to be accepted for all of who he was, good and bad together. He had spent years as a people-pleaser, trying to second-guess other people's reactions and desires and act accordingly. It had been a terrible cage. Now he was free! Now he could make decisions that were truly his, based on his best judgment, based on his deep desires. With this new-found inner strength, Tom entered the fellowship hall. The church board wasn't going to like the recommendation he would present because it would require monetary investment and considerable change in the way things were done. But he knew it was the right proposal for the church; what they thought of him just wasn't important. -- Fannin
