Turning Shitheads into Prayer Partners

Last updated on: February 15, 2014 at 2:57 pm by Jeff Hood

Turning Shitheads into Prayer Partners 2014-02-15T14:57:57-06:00 Jeff Hood

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I woke up one morning last week and this message was posted on the wall of one of our church Facebook pages, “This church is the sickest of sick. The evilest of evil. The vilest of vile.” I deleted the comment like I do to all other queerphobic comments that are sent to us. Later in the morning, I had a conversation with someone I had not spoken with in some time and she quickly became enraged when she found out that I was leading what is in her words an “anti-Christ” church that was inclusive and celebrating of all people including again in her words “queers and faggots.” Most of the time I am able to put all of these disturbing and hateful queerphobic comments behind me and concentrate on the ministry God has called me to…but this day was different. The queerphobia was up under my skin. I felt like these two people were shitheads and I kept calling them exactly that. Whether I knew it or not, I was growing angrier as every minute passed.

Later on in the day…while I was driving back from Dallas…someone cut me off in traffic and in a moment of full on rage…I thrust my middle finger as far as I could out the window and repeatedly screamed shithead at the driver. When I returned to the inside of the car, I didn’t like what was happening to me. I pulled over and began to think about my day. It did not take long to realize how much I had been affected not just by the queerphobia I had experienced earlier…but by all the queerphobia our churches and I have experienced. I began to weep…as it had been somewhat of an emotional day. I realized I hadn’t prayed in a while and I closed my eyes.

I prayed for love. I prayed for God to bring all those I called shithead alongside me. I prayed for God to forgive me for failing to love. I prayed for God to forgive me for the times that I have been a shithead. I prayed for a renewed love for my enemies and my neighbors alike. I prayed for a renewed commitment to dialogue and conversation with those whose hearts are filled with queerphobia and hate. I prayed for further clarity or revelation of what I had experienced…and in that moment I realized that those I called shithead had brought me to a deeper understanding of both God and love… and now they were no longer shitheads but prayer partners…and even more than that…I realized they helped grow my heart wider with love.

Amen.

Previous Post

February 15, 2014

We Can End This: Remarks to the Fort Worth Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Prayer Breakfast

Next Post

February 16, 2014 The Withered Hand, The Undivided Heart and The Undistracted Church

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Danny & Jeff fresh writings latest poetics north texas fellowship of reconciliation Sermon theology from death row Thoughts Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which battle did Jonathan, Saul's son, win using faith instead of army size?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Garrison of the Philistines Battle of Ramah Siege of Jerusalem Battle of Gilboa