The Christian Way
Illustration
Stories
“It’s just wrong,” Martha whispered. “He needs to take off his hat in church.”
John looked up from reading the Sunday bulletin. “Who has to take off his hat?”
“That young man.” She pointed to the other side of the church. “He’s up there near the front.”
“Henry? That’s not a hat, he’s just changed his hair color again.” John shook his head. “I swear that lad changes the color more than I change my socks.”
Martha sighed. “You need new glasses. I don’t mean Henry but to the left of him.”
“Oh, the one with the Yankees cap?”
“Yes, him. He shouldn’t have the hat on.”
“Why?” John pointed to a woman sitting two pews in front of them. “She’s wearing a hat even if it doesn’t have a ball team logo on it.”
“You know what I mean. She’s a woman.” Martha crossed her arms. “Women are allowed to wear hats in church.”
“Why is that? Because women need to have their hair covered to not distract men?” John rubbed his chin. “If that’s the case, then why aren’t hats required for all women?”
“Don’t be obtuse,” Martha said. “Women can wear hats if they want but they don’t have to wear a hat. It’s the modern age.”
“I’ve got the feeling there is a ‘but’ coming.”
“Young men need to learn that it is disrespectful to wear a hat in church.” Martha scowled.” It just isn’t done.”
“Why not?” John picked up the pew Bible and thumbed through it. “I don’t remember Jesus ever giving any commandments about hats.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t. I do know that when you and I were young that girls wore dresses and hats and gloves to church and boys wore shirts and ties.” He gestured at the assembled congregation. “Yet I see girls in slacks with no gloves or hats and boys in t-shirts and jeans. Yet you have no problem with any of that.”
“Why should I have a problem with that? Young people don’t dress up like we used to when we were their age.” Martha paused and looked at her blouse and at John’s open-faced shirt. “The truth is we’re not as dressed up as our parents were at our age.”
“No argument from me.” John smiled. “I’m actually relieved to not have to wear a tie on Sundays. I can remember sweltering in a jacket and tie when we were younger.”
“That’s true.” Martha shook her head. “It just bothers me to see a boy with a hat on in church.”
John took a moment and watched the boy laughing with his friends near the front of the church. “I don’t recognize him.”
“I saw him come in with the Marty and Sally Johnson. I think he’s a friend of their Fred.”
“Ah, so we’re seeing newcomers in church. That’s a great thing.” John tilted his head to one side. “So do you still want to tell him to take off his hat?”
Martha looked at the boy for a moment and then sighed. “No. I want him to be here. I want him to be listening to the pastor and coming to know Jesus.”
“Why the change of heart?”
“The longer we talk, the more I realize that ‘no hats for boys’ is really a rule we made up that isn’t part of the gospel.” Martha looked over at her husband. “I don’t like boys keeping their hats on in church but I realize it’s my problem and not his.”
John put his arms around her. “Why don’t you and I go and talk to him?”
“What? I told you I didn’t want to say anything to him about wearing a hat in church. I want him here in the building and I want him to feel welcome.”
John got up and offered Martha his hand. “Then how about we go over there, introduce ourselves and say that to him directly.”
Martha thought for a second and them smiled. “Okay, you got me. That is exactly what Jesus would want and you know what? I’d like that boy to know people in this church aren’t old people who grumble about young people.”
John rolled his eyes as she started down the aisle.
“I saw that husband of mine.” She turned back and winked. “Just because you are right doesn’t mean you get to rub it in.”
Together John and Martha went to see the young man and to let him know that he was welcome among the congregation that morning just the way he was.
John looked up from reading the Sunday bulletin. “Who has to take off his hat?”
“That young man.” She pointed to the other side of the church. “He’s up there near the front.”
“Henry? That’s not a hat, he’s just changed his hair color again.” John shook his head. “I swear that lad changes the color more than I change my socks.”
Martha sighed. “You need new glasses. I don’t mean Henry but to the left of him.”
“Oh, the one with the Yankees cap?”
“Yes, him. He shouldn’t have the hat on.”
“Why?” John pointed to a woman sitting two pews in front of them. “She’s wearing a hat even if it doesn’t have a ball team logo on it.”
“You know what I mean. She’s a woman.” Martha crossed her arms. “Women are allowed to wear hats in church.”
“Why is that? Because women need to have their hair covered to not distract men?” John rubbed his chin. “If that’s the case, then why aren’t hats required for all women?”
“Don’t be obtuse,” Martha said. “Women can wear hats if they want but they don’t have to wear a hat. It’s the modern age.”
“I’ve got the feeling there is a ‘but’ coming.”
“Young men need to learn that it is disrespectful to wear a hat in church.” Martha scowled.” It just isn’t done.”
“Why not?” John picked up the pew Bible and thumbed through it. “I don’t remember Jesus ever giving any commandments about hats.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t. I do know that when you and I were young that girls wore dresses and hats and gloves to church and boys wore shirts and ties.” He gestured at the assembled congregation. “Yet I see girls in slacks with no gloves or hats and boys in t-shirts and jeans. Yet you have no problem with any of that.”
“Why should I have a problem with that? Young people don’t dress up like we used to when we were their age.” Martha paused and looked at her blouse and at John’s open-faced shirt. “The truth is we’re not as dressed up as our parents were at our age.”
“No argument from me.” John smiled. “I’m actually relieved to not have to wear a tie on Sundays. I can remember sweltering in a jacket and tie when we were younger.”
“That’s true.” Martha shook her head. “It just bothers me to see a boy with a hat on in church.”
John took a moment and watched the boy laughing with his friends near the front of the church. “I don’t recognize him.”
“I saw him come in with the Marty and Sally Johnson. I think he’s a friend of their Fred.”
“Ah, so we’re seeing newcomers in church. That’s a great thing.” John tilted his head to one side. “So do you still want to tell him to take off his hat?”
Martha looked at the boy for a moment and then sighed. “No. I want him to be here. I want him to be listening to the pastor and coming to know Jesus.”
“Why the change of heart?”
“The longer we talk, the more I realize that ‘no hats for boys’ is really a rule we made up that isn’t part of the gospel.” Martha looked over at her husband. “I don’t like boys keeping their hats on in church but I realize it’s my problem and not his.”
John put his arms around her. “Why don’t you and I go and talk to him?”
“What? I told you I didn’t want to say anything to him about wearing a hat in church. I want him here in the building and I want him to feel welcome.”
John got up and offered Martha his hand. “Then how about we go over there, introduce ourselves and say that to him directly.”
Martha thought for a second and them smiled. “Okay, you got me. That is exactly what Jesus would want and you know what? I’d like that boy to know people in this church aren’t old people who grumble about young people.”
John rolled his eyes as she started down the aisle.
“I saw that husband of mine.” She turned back and winked. “Just because you are right doesn’t mean you get to rub it in.”
Together John and Martha went to see the young man and to let him know that he was welcome among the congregation that morning just the way he was.
