Crossing Barriers
Stories
Contents
"Crossing Barriers" by Frank Ramirez
"As I Have Loved You" by Peter Andrew Smith
Crossing Barriers
by Frank Ramirez
Acts 11:1-8
But I replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' (Acts 11:8)
Long before he revolutionized children’s literature by writing books children not only loved but could read for themselves, Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was famous, and made his living, in advertising. His ads for Flick insecticide, for instance, were so unforgettably funny his slogan “Quick, Henry, the Flit!” became a national punchline.
He also drew cartoons to help teachers. One particularly famous one showed a roughneck pushing a simple hand plough pulled by an elephant through a doughy mess. Meant to advocate for simplified spelling by demonstrating how hard it is to pronounce words in English spelled with the letters “ough,”, it was captioned, “The Tough Coughs as he Ploughs the Dough.”
Along the way he also published several children’s books, but those didn’t pay the rent. That all changed, however, when Bennett Cerf, an editor at Random House, became alarmed by reports that American children in the 50s were falling behind in reading. He challenged Geisel to write a book for children so entertaining they wouldn’t be able to put it down, and with a vocabulary simple enough they could start reading almost immediately.
The Cat in the Hat, published in 1957, was that book. Its 225 word vocabulary was combined with a storyline so compelling it swept away the competition. Children loved to read it, and its sequel, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, as well.
This led Bennett Cerf to bet Dr. Seuss he couldn’t write a book using only fifty words. Suess’ answer was another book that became a classic: Green Eggs and Ham. Published in 1960 it has sold more than eight million copies. It has been parodied innumerable times, and read on air by politicians as diverse as Ted Cruz and Jesse Jackson.
Those fifty words? Here they are: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, you.
The book is about Sam-I-Am’s attempt to get his grouchy — and defiant — friend to eat some green eggs and ham. Despite the latter character’s constant refusal to try them, Sam invites him in turn to eat them here or there, in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, in a car, in a tree, on a train, in the dark, in the rain, with a goat, on a boat, or anywhere, for that matter.
Again and again Sam-I-Am is refused, but eventually he wears down his friend who agrees to try them if he will stop asking. To the delight of both, the grouchy friend discovers he likes green eggs and ham and has every intention of eating them anywhere, here or there, in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, in a car, in a tree, on a train, in the dark, in the rain, with a goat, on a boat! In the end he thanks Sam-I-Am for making the effort. All with a vocabulary of only fifty words.
Well, it’s not exactly green eggs and ham, but today’s gospel passage tells how Peter refuses three times to try the food presented to him on a sheet rolled down from heaven three times. These animals, forbidden by the Hebrew scriptures, were probably strange and revolting to the apostle, and the reason he refuses God only three times is because it all happens in a dream which comes to a sudden end.
Interestingly enough, in contrast to Dr. Seuss and his fellow evangelist John, who both make use of a limited number of words, Luke’s Greek utilizes a pretty diverse and complex vocabulary.
In any case we discover that Peter, unlike the grouchy friend, wasn’t actually being asked to eat food that he found disgusting. The food was a symbol of something even more difficult — crossing ethnic, racial, and religious barriers in order to widen the circle of the church of Jesus Christ, at that time known as The Way. Overcoming his mistrust of other cultures changed the early church far more than if he’d agreed to eat something like green eggs and ham.
(Want to know more? See The Annotated Cat Under The Hats of Seuss and His Cats, Introduction and Annotations by Philip Nel; The Tough Coughs As He Ploughs the Dough: Early Writings and Cartoons by Dr. Seuss, edited and with an introduction by Richard Marschall; Ten Stories Behind Dr. Seuss Stories, http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/01/23/mf.seuss.stories.behind/index.html; and, of course you might consider reading aloud Green Eggs And Ham.)
* * *
As I Have Loved You
by Peter Andrew Smith
John 13:31-35
Peter sat on the step in front of the big stone church tapping his foot on the sidewalk. He watched the people going about their business and felt the gentle breeze blowing on his cheek. He smiled as he saw Andrew and James coming down the street from school carrying their book bags.
“Hi Peter,” Andrew said. “What are you doing sitting on the front step? Are you waiting for someone?”
“I want to be a better disciple and so I prayed for Jesus to show me how to do that. I’m waiting for Jesus to speak to me,” Peter replied. “Would you like to wait with me?”
The two brothers put their heads together. Andrew was pretty sure he was already a great disciple of Jesus but James reminded him of how he wasn’t as patient as he could be. That led Andrew to remind James of how he struggled in Sunday school with some of the Bible passages they read. The discussion went back and forth until finally Andrew gave in and he answered for both of them. “Sure, we can wait with you awhile.”
“Wonderful,” Peter said. “I’m so happy to have some company. I was worried Jesus might ask me to do something that I can’t do.”
Andrew frowned. “Do you think Jesus would do that?”
“I’m not really sure.” Peter rubbed his chin. “I know he has asked me to do things that I never thought I could do.”
“But you did them didn’t you?”
Peter nodded. “I sure did.”
“So why are you worried?”
Peter thought about that for a few minutes. “I’m not really sure. Sometimes I guess we can over think being disciples.”
The three sat on the step watching the traffic and people pass them by.
“When do you suppose Jesus is going to speak to you?”Andrew asked.
“I’m not sure.” Peter saw one of their neighbours coming down the street. “Hey Mrs. Chin, how are you doing today and how is Mr. Chin?”
“I’m just doing some shopping.” The elderly woman stopped in front of the three boys and let down her heavy shopping bags. “Mr. Chin is doing a bit better but still has a bad cough. I’ll let him know you were asking about him. What are you doing?”
“We’re waiting for Jesus to speak to Peter,” Andrew said.
Mrs. Chin smiled. “So are you praying?”
The three looked at each other. “I guess in a way we are.”
“That’s a good thing to do especially at a church. Could you remember to pray for me and Mr Chin?”
The three boys nodded.
She reached down and struggled to pick up her bags. “I should be getting back home.”
James jumped off the step and grabbed the bags. “I’ll carry them for you.”
Peter and Andrew watched James and Mrs. Chin disappear around the corner.
“If James doesn’t hurry up he’ll miss Jesus showing you how to be a better disciple.” Andrew started to say more when he saw a dog running across the street, a leash trailing behind it. “Is that Mr. Roland’s dog?”
“It is,” Peter replied. “We best get him.”
The boys called and coaxed the dog to come over to him.
“I’m going to take Spot back home and make sure Mr. Roland is okay,” Andrew said holding the leash. “I know he gets really anxious unless his service dog is nearby.”
Peter nodded and watched Andrew disappear. He wondered when Jesus was going to talk to him about being a better disciple.
Pastor Martin opened the door. “Peter, what are you doing?”
Peter explained he was waiting for Jesus to tell him how to be a better disciple and how James and Andrew had been waiting but had been distracted.
“Distracted? Sounds to me like they were helping people and showing love like Jesus asks us to do. Mrs. Chin has lots of stairs to climb and Mr. Roland really struggles without Spot’s help.”
“I wish I had helped.” Peter looked where his friends had gone. “I do want to follow Jesus.”
“How long are you going to be here?” Pastor Martin asked. “Suzie’s mom got delayed and wasn’t able to pick her up at the bus stop so she came here. I got a call from the hospital and have to go. Her mother should be along shortly. Can she wait here on the step with you?”
“Sure,” Peter said.
Suzie flopped down beside him and pulled out her homework. “Can you help me?”
Peter shrugged and helped her finish her math homework. James and Andrew showed up just as he started reading her a story and they helped by adding funny voices. They were all laughing when Suzie’s mother showed up.
“Thanks! Mom told me to come to the church if I ever needed help.” Suzie grabbed her things and headed toward the car. “Thanks for being the church today for me.”
Peter waved to her and they watched her drive off. The three boys sat on the step a while longer hoping that Jesus would speak to them again and show them more ways they could love others.
*****************************************
StoryShare, May 19, 2019, issue.
Copyright 2019 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.
"Crossing Barriers" by Frank Ramirez
"As I Have Loved You" by Peter Andrew Smith
Crossing Barriers
by Frank Ramirez
Acts 11:1-8
But I replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' (Acts 11:8)
Long before he revolutionized children’s literature by writing books children not only loved but could read for themselves, Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was famous, and made his living, in advertising. His ads for Flick insecticide, for instance, were so unforgettably funny his slogan “Quick, Henry, the Flit!” became a national punchline.
He also drew cartoons to help teachers. One particularly famous one showed a roughneck pushing a simple hand plough pulled by an elephant through a doughy mess. Meant to advocate for simplified spelling by demonstrating how hard it is to pronounce words in English spelled with the letters “ough,”, it was captioned, “The Tough Coughs as he Ploughs the Dough.”
Along the way he also published several children’s books, but those didn’t pay the rent. That all changed, however, when Bennett Cerf, an editor at Random House, became alarmed by reports that American children in the 50s were falling behind in reading. He challenged Geisel to write a book for children so entertaining they wouldn’t be able to put it down, and with a vocabulary simple enough they could start reading almost immediately.
The Cat in the Hat, published in 1957, was that book. Its 225 word vocabulary was combined with a storyline so compelling it swept away the competition. Children loved to read it, and its sequel, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, as well.
This led Bennett Cerf to bet Dr. Seuss he couldn’t write a book using only fifty words. Suess’ answer was another book that became a classic: Green Eggs and Ham. Published in 1960 it has sold more than eight million copies. It has been parodied innumerable times, and read on air by politicians as diverse as Ted Cruz and Jesse Jackson.
Those fifty words? Here they are: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, you.
The book is about Sam-I-Am’s attempt to get his grouchy — and defiant — friend to eat some green eggs and ham. Despite the latter character’s constant refusal to try them, Sam invites him in turn to eat them here or there, in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, in a car, in a tree, on a train, in the dark, in the rain, with a goat, on a boat, or anywhere, for that matter.
Again and again Sam-I-Am is refused, but eventually he wears down his friend who agrees to try them if he will stop asking. To the delight of both, the grouchy friend discovers he likes green eggs and ham and has every intention of eating them anywhere, here or there, in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, in a car, in a tree, on a train, in the dark, in the rain, with a goat, on a boat! In the end he thanks Sam-I-Am for making the effort. All with a vocabulary of only fifty words.
Well, it’s not exactly green eggs and ham, but today’s gospel passage tells how Peter refuses three times to try the food presented to him on a sheet rolled down from heaven three times. These animals, forbidden by the Hebrew scriptures, were probably strange and revolting to the apostle, and the reason he refuses God only three times is because it all happens in a dream which comes to a sudden end.
Interestingly enough, in contrast to Dr. Seuss and his fellow evangelist John, who both make use of a limited number of words, Luke’s Greek utilizes a pretty diverse and complex vocabulary.
In any case we discover that Peter, unlike the grouchy friend, wasn’t actually being asked to eat food that he found disgusting. The food was a symbol of something even more difficult — crossing ethnic, racial, and religious barriers in order to widen the circle of the church of Jesus Christ, at that time known as The Way. Overcoming his mistrust of other cultures changed the early church far more than if he’d agreed to eat something like green eggs and ham.
(Want to know more? See The Annotated Cat Under The Hats of Seuss and His Cats, Introduction and Annotations by Philip Nel; The Tough Coughs As He Ploughs the Dough: Early Writings and Cartoons by Dr. Seuss, edited and with an introduction by Richard Marschall; Ten Stories Behind Dr. Seuss Stories, http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/01/23/mf.seuss.stories.behind/index.html; and, of course you might consider reading aloud Green Eggs And Ham.)
* * *
As I Have Loved You
by Peter Andrew Smith
John 13:31-35
Peter sat on the step in front of the big stone church tapping his foot on the sidewalk. He watched the people going about their business and felt the gentle breeze blowing on his cheek. He smiled as he saw Andrew and James coming down the street from school carrying their book bags.
“Hi Peter,” Andrew said. “What are you doing sitting on the front step? Are you waiting for someone?”
“I want to be a better disciple and so I prayed for Jesus to show me how to do that. I’m waiting for Jesus to speak to me,” Peter replied. “Would you like to wait with me?”
The two brothers put their heads together. Andrew was pretty sure he was already a great disciple of Jesus but James reminded him of how he wasn’t as patient as he could be. That led Andrew to remind James of how he struggled in Sunday school with some of the Bible passages they read. The discussion went back and forth until finally Andrew gave in and he answered for both of them. “Sure, we can wait with you awhile.”
“Wonderful,” Peter said. “I’m so happy to have some company. I was worried Jesus might ask me to do something that I can’t do.”
Andrew frowned. “Do you think Jesus would do that?”
“I’m not really sure.” Peter rubbed his chin. “I know he has asked me to do things that I never thought I could do.”
“But you did them didn’t you?”
Peter nodded. “I sure did.”
“So why are you worried?”
Peter thought about that for a few minutes. “I’m not really sure. Sometimes I guess we can over think being disciples.”
The three sat on the step watching the traffic and people pass them by.
“When do you suppose Jesus is going to speak to you?”Andrew asked.
“I’m not sure.” Peter saw one of their neighbours coming down the street. “Hey Mrs. Chin, how are you doing today and how is Mr. Chin?”
“I’m just doing some shopping.” The elderly woman stopped in front of the three boys and let down her heavy shopping bags. “Mr. Chin is doing a bit better but still has a bad cough. I’ll let him know you were asking about him. What are you doing?”
“We’re waiting for Jesus to speak to Peter,” Andrew said.
Mrs. Chin smiled. “So are you praying?”
The three looked at each other. “I guess in a way we are.”
“That’s a good thing to do especially at a church. Could you remember to pray for me and Mr Chin?”
The three boys nodded.
She reached down and struggled to pick up her bags. “I should be getting back home.”
James jumped off the step and grabbed the bags. “I’ll carry them for you.”
Peter and Andrew watched James and Mrs. Chin disappear around the corner.
“If James doesn’t hurry up he’ll miss Jesus showing you how to be a better disciple.” Andrew started to say more when he saw a dog running across the street, a leash trailing behind it. “Is that Mr. Roland’s dog?”
“It is,” Peter replied. “We best get him.”
The boys called and coaxed the dog to come over to him.
“I’m going to take Spot back home and make sure Mr. Roland is okay,” Andrew said holding the leash. “I know he gets really anxious unless his service dog is nearby.”
Peter nodded and watched Andrew disappear. He wondered when Jesus was going to talk to him about being a better disciple.
Pastor Martin opened the door. “Peter, what are you doing?”
Peter explained he was waiting for Jesus to tell him how to be a better disciple and how James and Andrew had been waiting but had been distracted.
“Distracted? Sounds to me like they were helping people and showing love like Jesus asks us to do. Mrs. Chin has lots of stairs to climb and Mr. Roland really struggles without Spot’s help.”
“I wish I had helped.” Peter looked where his friends had gone. “I do want to follow Jesus.”
“How long are you going to be here?” Pastor Martin asked. “Suzie’s mom got delayed and wasn’t able to pick her up at the bus stop so she came here. I got a call from the hospital and have to go. Her mother should be along shortly. Can she wait here on the step with you?”
“Sure,” Peter said.
Suzie flopped down beside him and pulled out her homework. “Can you help me?”
Peter shrugged and helped her finish her math homework. James and Andrew showed up just as he started reading her a story and they helped by adding funny voices. They were all laughing when Suzie’s mother showed up.
“Thanks! Mom told me to come to the church if I ever needed help.” Suzie grabbed her things and headed toward the car. “Thanks for being the church today for me.”
Peter waved to her and they watched her drive off. The three boys sat on the step a while longer hoping that Jesus would speak to them again and show them more ways they could love others.
*****************************************
StoryShare, May 19, 2019, issue.
Copyright 2019 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.
