Blessed Are You
Illustration
Stories
John sat in the park bench and watched the people going into church. There was a family with some small children stopping to chat with an elderly woman pushing a walker. She must have said something funny because everyone started laughing. One of the children followed her up the ramp while the others climbed the stairs. John sighed as they disappeared into the church.
“Is everything okay?”
John looked up at a man on the walking path next to the bench. “Pardon?”
“I heard you sighing and just wanted to know if everything is okay.”
“Sure, I guess.” John resumed looking at the people going into the church. “I’m fine.”
“Okay,” the man said. “Do you mind if I sit for a moment?”
“Sure.” John moved over closer to the end to give the man lots of space. He watched as a young man came out of the church and looked up and down the street, checked his watch, and then went back inside the church. “He’s done that twice.”
“Sorry?” the man next to him said.
“Didn’t realize I said that out loud.” John felt his face grow warm. “I’ve been watching the church and that young man has been out twice looking for someone. He must be waiting for a friend to arrive.”
“Maybe.” The man rubbed his chin. “Or the young man could be waiting for someone he has never met before.”
John turned to look at the man sitting next to him. “Why would you say that?”
“The church has a guest preacher this morning and he has never visited there before. Do you think there is a good crowd gathering?”
“Yeah. I’ve seen lots of people go in all dressed in their Sunday best so there will be a good crowd this All Saints’ Day.” John watched as another couple went up the stairs. He glanced at his wristwatch. “That preacher better get there soon, or he’ll miss the service.”
“The service isn’t until half past, isn’t it?” the man asked.
“Yeah but its already ten after. I bet the people are getting a bit worried that he might not arrive.”
The man’s phone chimed, and he took it out of his pocket. “Excuse me, I should answer this text.”
“No problem.” John went back to watching the people go in. He sighed as another family climbed the stairs.
“That’s the second time you sighed watching people go into the church. Is everything okay?”
John started to tell him that everything was fine but decided to just be honest. “I miss going to church.”
“Oh.” The man paused. “Is there a reason you don’t go anymore? I mean the church over there looks like a friendly place.”
“They are friendly and welcoming I can tell you that. I used to love attending there.”
The man tilted his head to one side. “So why don’t you? I mean I can tell that you want to go.”
“I lost my faith when I was shipped overseas.” John paused for a second. “I want to believe but I don’t think I do anymore.”
“Ah.” The man looked at the church and then back to John. “But why is that stopping you from going? I mean the truth is many people who attend church have doubts and uncertainty. I think that is just part of faith.”
“I guess I worry that God wouldn’t want me if I don’t believe. It’s easier to be outside here and not certain than to go inside and discover that God doesn’t want me anymore.”
“I see.” The man rubbed his chin. “What if I told you that God wants you even if you don’t believe?”
John turned and stared at the man for a moment. “Not sure if I would believe you. I mean no disrespect, but I don’t know you from anyone.”
“That’s fair.” The man smiled. “Jesus said, ”Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ To me that has always meant that God knows that at times we struggle with our faith, but God comes to us and helps us through those times.”
“Huh.” John considered the man’s words. “That’s something to think about.”
“So would you be interested in going to church this morning?”
“Not sure if a special Sunday with a guest preacher is the best time for me to go to church.” John watched as the young man appeared again at the steps and started across the road. “What’s he doing?”
“My apologies. I think he’s looking for me.” The man struggled to his feet. “I would love to have you join us in church this morning.”
John looked carefully at the man. “You’re the guest preacher they’ve been waiting for!”
“I am. I parked a distance away and discovered my legs are not as used to walking as they once were,” the man said. “The invitation is sincere and what I said I believe to be true. You are not merely welcome inside, but I believe God will bless you if you come.”
John looked down at his clothes and realized they were probably the best things he had. He got to his feet and stood next to the man.
“You’re coming?”
John took a deep breath and nodded. “I am.”
The man smiled at him and together the two headed toward the church.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 1, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“Is everything okay?”
John looked up at a man on the walking path next to the bench. “Pardon?”
“I heard you sighing and just wanted to know if everything is okay.”
“Sure, I guess.” John resumed looking at the people going into the church. “I’m fine.”
“Okay,” the man said. “Do you mind if I sit for a moment?”
“Sure.” John moved over closer to the end to give the man lots of space. He watched as a young man came out of the church and looked up and down the street, checked his watch, and then went back inside the church. “He’s done that twice.”
“Sorry?” the man next to him said.
“Didn’t realize I said that out loud.” John felt his face grow warm. “I’ve been watching the church and that young man has been out twice looking for someone. He must be waiting for a friend to arrive.”
“Maybe.” The man rubbed his chin. “Or the young man could be waiting for someone he has never met before.”
John turned to look at the man sitting next to him. “Why would you say that?”
“The church has a guest preacher this morning and he has never visited there before. Do you think there is a good crowd gathering?”
“Yeah. I’ve seen lots of people go in all dressed in their Sunday best so there will be a good crowd this All Saints’ Day.” John watched as another couple went up the stairs. He glanced at his wristwatch. “That preacher better get there soon, or he’ll miss the service.”
“The service isn’t until half past, isn’t it?” the man asked.
“Yeah but its already ten after. I bet the people are getting a bit worried that he might not arrive.”
The man’s phone chimed, and he took it out of his pocket. “Excuse me, I should answer this text.”
“No problem.” John went back to watching the people go in. He sighed as another family climbed the stairs.
“That’s the second time you sighed watching people go into the church. Is everything okay?”
John started to tell him that everything was fine but decided to just be honest. “I miss going to church.”
“Oh.” The man paused. “Is there a reason you don’t go anymore? I mean the church over there looks like a friendly place.”
“They are friendly and welcoming I can tell you that. I used to love attending there.”
The man tilted his head to one side. “So why don’t you? I mean I can tell that you want to go.”
“I lost my faith when I was shipped overseas.” John paused for a second. “I want to believe but I don’t think I do anymore.”
“Ah.” The man looked at the church and then back to John. “But why is that stopping you from going? I mean the truth is many people who attend church have doubts and uncertainty. I think that is just part of faith.”
“I guess I worry that God wouldn’t want me if I don’t believe. It’s easier to be outside here and not certain than to go inside and discover that God doesn’t want me anymore.”
“I see.” The man rubbed his chin. “What if I told you that God wants you even if you don’t believe?”
John turned and stared at the man for a moment. “Not sure if I would believe you. I mean no disrespect, but I don’t know you from anyone.”
“That’s fair.” The man smiled. “Jesus said, ”Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ To me that has always meant that God knows that at times we struggle with our faith, but God comes to us and helps us through those times.”
“Huh.” John considered the man’s words. “That’s something to think about.”
“So would you be interested in going to church this morning?”
“Not sure if a special Sunday with a guest preacher is the best time for me to go to church.” John watched as the young man appeared again at the steps and started across the road. “What’s he doing?”
“My apologies. I think he’s looking for me.” The man struggled to his feet. “I would love to have you join us in church this morning.”
John looked carefully at the man. “You’re the guest preacher they’ve been waiting for!”
“I am. I parked a distance away and discovered my legs are not as used to walking as they once were,” the man said. “The invitation is sincere and what I said I believe to be true. You are not merely welcome inside, but I believe God will bless you if you come.”
John looked down at his clothes and realized they were probably the best things he had. He got to his feet and stood next to the man.
“You’re coming?”
John took a deep breath and nodded. “I am.”
The man smiled at him and together the two headed toward the church.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 1, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
