Emphasis Preaching Journal

Harvey was a street person who worked odd jobs for a little bit of cash. He hadn't always lived that way. In the years before his wife died, he had been the manager of a large department store. He and his wife had a loving relationship. They worshiped regularly. Harvey knew what it meant to love and to be loved by God. When his wife died of cancer, Harvey walked away from it all. Those who had known Harvey before his wife died could not get over the change in his appearance. His hair was filthy and it hung in thick tangles down his back. His beard was bushy, and food could be seen stuck in it like wads of gum on a dog's back. He ate whatever food he could scrounge from handouts, restaurants, and garbage cans. Harvey was a familiar figure on the streets of our town and in our town's churches. Harvey was one of the most ecumenically-
minded Christians in town. He'd take turns attending each church. That was an amazing lesson for those of us who were attached to our own denominations. But Harvey had another lesson to teach and this one was literally up his sleeve. It was December and our town's churches were collecting food for Christmas Hampers for the poor. Our congregation had decided to try something new with regards to our Food Hamper. Instead of leaving it at the back of the church, we had placed it in front of our altar. As our members entered church, they were encouraged to come to the altar with their gifts and offer them to God in thanksgiving for all that God had done for them. It was at one of our December services that Harvey taught us our second lesson. Harvey came into church and knelt before the altar. Then, from the depths of the overly long sleeve on his dirty coat, he pulled out two boxes of pudding and a can of beans. These were carefully placed in the food hamper. Then Harvey rose from his knees and walked to his usual pew. Harvey had taught us the meaning of giving.
-- Conroy