Presence and Essence

What people remember. 

The presence in this place. 

Becoming what we already are. 

Don Whetstine is my chaplaincy predecessor and mentor. I would not be serving in this role if not for him, this role he served in for nearly twenty years. When he retired as jail chaplain, he and Sheriff Southerland asked me to step into this role of faith support for our jail residents. I did not feel ready or equipped, but I agreed. 

In those first few days, weeks, and months, I relied heavily on Don’s advice and wisdom. I still remember and use several Don-isms, but one is especially helpful when I feel inadequate and don't have the words to support our residents. He told me people don’t remember the words we say. They remember the spirit and essence behind the words. They remember the feeling of being heard and being loved. We can’t get hung up on trying to say the perfect thing or to be the perfect person. If we want to be helpful, begin by listening and loving. That’s good stuff there, Don. I’m glad I remembered those words, along with the spirit and essence behind those words. 

Last year, I wrote these words from Genesis 28. When Jacob awoke from his dream, he thought, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place...how awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” He encountered the divine and recognized God’s holy presence while sleeping outside with a rock as a pillow. The place was awesome. It was the house of God, the gate of heaven, the place where he saw the deep heart of life.  

It’s funny to discover simple truths. We always strive to become who we hope to be. And the closer we become, the more we realize we already are this person. It’s like when Michaelangelo was carving the statue of David. He once said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” David was already there. He just needed to be freed. The same is true for us. We already have within us the person we wish to be. We just need to carve away until we set free who we already are. And as we do, remember the presence in this place. The spirit and the essence.