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Pastor Penny’s Pondering

January, 2010

 

 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here."   ³⁷ Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

 (John 18:36-37 NRS)

 

 'Some people!' snorted a man standing behind me in the long line at the grocery store.  'You would think the manager would pay attention and open another line, 'said a woman.

I looked to the front of the line to see what the holdup was and saw a well dressed, young woman, trying to get the machine to accept her credit card. No matter how many times she swiped it, the machine kept rejecting it.

'It's one of them welfare card things. Damn people need to get a job like everyone else,' said the man standing behind me.

The young woman turned around to see who had made the comment. 

It was me,' he said, pointing to himself.

The young lady's face began to change expression.  Almost in tears, she dropped the welfare card onto the counter and quickly walked out of the store. Everyone in the checkout line watched as she began running to her car. Never looking back, she got in and drove way.

Several minutes later a young man walked into the store. He went up to the cashier and asked if she had seen the woman. After describing her, the cashier told him that she had run out of the store, got into her car, and drove away.

'Why would she do that?' asked the man. Everyone in the line looked around at the fellow who had made the statement.  'I made a stupid comment about the welfare card she was using.  Something I shouldn't have said. I'm sorry,' said the man.

'Well, that's bad, real bad, in fact.  Her brother was killed in Afghanistan two years ago. He had three young children and she has taken on that responsibility. She's twenty years old, single, and now has three children to support,' he said in a very firm voice.

'I'm really truly sorry. I didn't know,' he replied, shaking both his hands about.

The young man asked, 'Are these paid for?' pointing to the shopping cart full of groceries. 'It wouldn't take her card' the clerk told him.  'Do you know where she lives?' asked the man who had made the comment.

'Yes, she goes to our church.'

'Excuse me,' he said as he made his way to the front of the line. He pulled out his wallet, took out his credit card and told the cashier, 'Please use my card.  PLEASE!' The clerk took his credit card and began to ring up the young woman's groceries.

'Hold on,' said the gentleman. He walked back to his shopping cart and began loading his own groceries onto the belt to be included. 'Come on people. We got three kids to help raise!' he told everyone in line.

Everyone began to place their groceries onto the fast moving belt. A few customers began bagging the food and placing it into separate carts. 'Go back and get two big turkeys,' yelled a heavyset woman, as she looked at the man.

'NO,' yelled the man. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The entire store became quiet for several seconds. 'Four turkeys,' yelled the man. Everyone began laughing and went back to work.

When all was said and done, the man paid a total of $1,646.57 for the groceries. He then walked over to the side, pulled out his check book, and began writing a check using the bags of dog food piled near the front of the store for a writing surface. He turned around and handed the check to the young man. 'She will need a freezer and a few other things as well,' he told the man.

The young man looked at the check and said, 'This is really very generous of you.'

'No,' said the man. 'Her brother was the generous one.'

Everyone in the store had been observing the odd commotion and began to clap. 

I receive a far amount of those inspirational e-mails that you are supposed to forward on to others; you know the ones.  I check most of them for validity at www.snopes.com., the majority of them are fake.  When I checked the one above its status was undetermined.  Meaning the site is unable to determine if it is a real occurrence or not.  I share this story with you because this story seemed to be Holy Spirit sent.

 I have been doing a far amount of time thinking about ‘perceptions’.  And the above story is talking about perceptions, what others think is the larger picture.  We all have our own way of seeing a situation, hearing a conversation or remembering something.  All of this comes from our particular point of reference or view.  We are neither right nor wrong in this; we just may not have all the information, larger picture.

 Looking at the story; which person do you tend to be?  Are you the young woman, who is judged by others?  Are you the man who is ready to judge some one else?  Have you at one time or another been either one?  I would say we have each been someone who is judged by others when they do not know the larger picture; and the man who judged before knowing the larger picture.  It is in our human nature.

 The Spirit calls us to go against our nature; to go against our tendency to be ‘I’ centered.  In the last days of Jesus’ life He is judged to be a King of the Jews, Jesus is the King of All.  Jesus’ Kingdom goes so much farther than just the issues of political power, His rule is over ALL things.  The Romans, Sanhedrin, Jews, His disciples and the whole world were not listening to the larger picture.  They did not take the time to listen to Jesus’ message or story.  No one cared to find out what was behind His words and actions.  Sound familiar?  It should!  We are the Romans, Sanhedrin, Jews, Disciples, siblings and the whole world.

 This is what we do to ourselves and others.  With the Fruitfulness workshops, Care Ministries, Worship and our very lives we at Peace Lutheran Church have the opportunities to welcome and embrace the stories of others.  I am not just talking about visitors or guest; I am also talking about each other.  When someone does not seem to be responding the way you want; take a moment to understand what maybe going on in that person’s life that you may not know about.

 When we are the young woman we desire, crave and beg for understanding, compassion, Grace and Mercy from everyone around us.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we showed that same understanding, compassion, Grace and Mercy Christ gave us and we expect to those we become short with? 

 This is the Gift Christ gave you, maybe for the New Year we can make a convent with Christ to do the same.