Paying With Love
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle B
Object:
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? (vv. 1-4)
In her book, Out of the Salt Shaker and into the World, Rebecca Manley Pippert tells about a highly intelligent college student named Bill who had become a Christian. As so many college students do when they leave home, Bill explored his identity by rejecting some of his parents' beliefs. Following his generational norms, he never wore shoes, regardless of the weather. He always wore jeans with holes in them and a T-shirt regardless of the occasion. In fact, that's what he wore when he attended the campus chapel services -- jeans, T-shirt and, of course, no shoes.
Summertime came and the chapel services were on hiatus. The next Sunday Bill decided to visit a local church across the street from the campus. He arrived a little late, and the service had already started. The very-well-dressed church members who had arrived on time were sitting on all the seats at the back and along the center aisle. As Bill walked down the aisle looking for a seat, there were no open spots. Because of his unusual fashion statement, no one in the congregation would scoot over to give him a seat.
Bill walked all the way to the front and still didn't find a seat. Finding himself at the front with no seat, he sat down on the carpeted floor between the pulpit and the front pew. This might have been acceptable at the college fellowship, but it had never been done in the conservative church before. You can imagine the tension in the congregation. People were aghast. Not only was he not dressed for the occasion, but also by sitting on the floor at the front of the church, he was interrupting the service.
The tension was building when the focus switched to an elderly member of the congregation as he got up from his seat and began walking very slowly up the aisle toward Bill. People looked at each other as they wondered what the silver haired man in his three-piece suit would do. Would he politely tell the young man that he was dressed inappropriately? Would he help him to a pew? Would he escort him to the back of the church and out the door?
When the elderly dignified man finally made it to where Bill was sitting, he stopped. He didn't say a word. But with great deliberation, the old man slowly sat down next to the poorly dressed young man and put his arm around him. The two of them sat there and worshiped together.
Naturally, at first people were shocked. But as they thought about it, they were moved. They knew the older man had displayed the kind of love and acceptance that Christians are called to offer one another. When the minister gained control of his own emotions, he said, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."
In the scripture, James chastises the church for creating a second-class worshiper. The wealthy sat front row center while the poor stood or sat on the floor. James points out that true faith goes beyond belief and expresses itself in action. Love only means something when it is expressed -- particularly to those who are seemingly different from us, for we are equal in God's kingdom.
In her book, Out of the Salt Shaker and into the World, Rebecca Manley Pippert tells about a highly intelligent college student named Bill who had become a Christian. As so many college students do when they leave home, Bill explored his identity by rejecting some of his parents' beliefs. Following his generational norms, he never wore shoes, regardless of the weather. He always wore jeans with holes in them and a T-shirt regardless of the occasion. In fact, that's what he wore when he attended the campus chapel services -- jeans, T-shirt and, of course, no shoes.
Summertime came and the chapel services were on hiatus. The next Sunday Bill decided to visit a local church across the street from the campus. He arrived a little late, and the service had already started. The very-well-dressed church members who had arrived on time were sitting on all the seats at the back and along the center aisle. As Bill walked down the aisle looking for a seat, there were no open spots. Because of his unusual fashion statement, no one in the congregation would scoot over to give him a seat.
Bill walked all the way to the front and still didn't find a seat. Finding himself at the front with no seat, he sat down on the carpeted floor between the pulpit and the front pew. This might have been acceptable at the college fellowship, but it had never been done in the conservative church before. You can imagine the tension in the congregation. People were aghast. Not only was he not dressed for the occasion, but also by sitting on the floor at the front of the church, he was interrupting the service.
The tension was building when the focus switched to an elderly member of the congregation as he got up from his seat and began walking very slowly up the aisle toward Bill. People looked at each other as they wondered what the silver haired man in his three-piece suit would do. Would he politely tell the young man that he was dressed inappropriately? Would he help him to a pew? Would he escort him to the back of the church and out the door?
When the elderly dignified man finally made it to where Bill was sitting, he stopped. He didn't say a word. But with great deliberation, the old man slowly sat down next to the poorly dressed young man and put his arm around him. The two of them sat there and worshiped together.
Naturally, at first people were shocked. But as they thought about it, they were moved. They knew the older man had displayed the kind of love and acceptance that Christians are called to offer one another. When the minister gained control of his own emotions, he said, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."
In the scripture, James chastises the church for creating a second-class worshiper. The wealthy sat front row center while the poor stood or sat on the floor. James points out that true faith goes beyond belief and expresses itself in action. Love only means something when it is expressed -- particularly to those who are seemingly different from us, for we are equal in God's kingdom.
