Show Me Jesus
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"Show Me Jesus" by Peter Andrew Smith
Show Me Jesus
by Peter Andrew Smith
John 1:29-42
“I want to believe, Pastor,” Jay said. “Can you show me Jesus?”
“Come with me.” Pastor Lyle led Jay through the door to the church hall where people were setting up tables and chairs.
“This is a meal we host for anyone who needs it.” Pastor Lyle motioned to a woman pushing a cart loaded with silverware and glasses. “Jean, this is Jay. He’ll be helping out this morning.”
“That’s great.” Jean smiled. “We can always use another hand. Come and help me set the tables.”
Jay frowned. “Pastor, I asked you to show me Jesus.”
“Yes, you did.” Pastor Lyle headed back to his office.
Jay wasn’t sure what was happening but trusted Pastor Lyle so he went over and helped Jean put cutlery on the tables.
“So what made you want to help out today?” Jean asked as they wheeled the cart back toward the kitchen.
“I’m struggling with my faith and asked Pastor Lyle to show me Jesus.” Jay scratched his head. “I’m not exactly sure why I’m here.”
“I think you will be before we’re finished.” Jean led him to the steam table. “Can you help Mary serve the food?”
“Great to have some more help today.” A woman with a hairnet and apron shook his hand as he introduced himself to her. “I expect we’ll be busy.”
“Why’s that?” Jay took the hairnet and apron she offered him.
“Because we’re busy every day.” Mary led him to the sink and they washed their hands and put on gloves. Jay watched as some workers from the kitchen came out with trays of vegetables and meatloaf.
Mary handed him a ladle. “One scoop of each per person, okay?”
“Okay.” Jay looked at all the food in front of them. “What if people want more?”
“Then tell them they can have seconds. Some will ask for it and that’s fine. We just don’t want any food to go to waste and sometimes people’s eyes are bigger than their bellies.”
Jay nodded as the doors opened and hungry people made their way to the tables and then formed a line. He was amazed at how noisy the place became as greetings were exchanged and conversation started among those waiting.
A man with a wild beard and tattered coat was first in line. Jay added a scoop of vegetables, potatoes, and meatloaf to his plate and was rewarded with a large grin. The number and variety of those looking for a meal amazed Jay. He expected to see street people like the first man but was surprised when some younger people and even families arrived. When there was a pause in the serving he mentioned what he noticed to Mary.
“Yes, we get people from all walks of life here. Some have mental illness problems, others struggle with addiction, some are working to get basic education, and more than a few live in conditions that we can’t begin to imagine.” Mary sighed. “We make sure they get a meal and a safe place to gather.”
Jay was going to ask something else when he realized there was a little girl was in front of him.
“I don’t like carrots,” she announced. “Just peas please.”
Jay nodded and scooped out the requested items.
“Thank you.” She paused. “Mommy wanted to know if she can have seconds when she’s finished.”
“Of course,” Jay said. The little girls dashed off to sit next to a woman in a large parka. He saw the girl lean in and whisper in her ear. The woman nodded, got up with her tray, and made her way over to the serving table.
“Lily wasn’t supposed to ask you if I could have seconds.” The woman wouldn’t meet Jay’s eyes. “I just didn’t have any breakfast because I gave what we had in the house to her.”
Jay scooped up some vegetables and meatloaf for her plate. “You are welcome to have thirds if you’re still hungry.”
The woman wiped at her eyes. “God bless you.”
Jay watched her return to her table and wondered about the stories of all the people who were there that day -- both those who were eating and those who were serving. He was sure that they were as varied as each individual present. Yet one thing he could feel in the hall as food was being eaten was the sense of grace which was present.
“So did you find what you’re looking for?” Jean asked as she came over. “Have you seen the living Christ among us?”
“I think I have,” Jay said. “I think I have seen.”
Peter Andrew Smith is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada currently serving St. James United Church in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He is the author of All Things are Ready (CSS) a book of lectionary based communion prayers and a number of stories and articles, which can be found listed at www.peterandrewsmith.com.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 15, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2016 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.
"Show Me Jesus" by Peter Andrew Smith
Show Me Jesus
by Peter Andrew Smith
John 1:29-42
“I want to believe, Pastor,” Jay said. “Can you show me Jesus?”
“Come with me.” Pastor Lyle led Jay through the door to the church hall where people were setting up tables and chairs.
“This is a meal we host for anyone who needs it.” Pastor Lyle motioned to a woman pushing a cart loaded with silverware and glasses. “Jean, this is Jay. He’ll be helping out this morning.”
“That’s great.” Jean smiled. “We can always use another hand. Come and help me set the tables.”
Jay frowned. “Pastor, I asked you to show me Jesus.”
“Yes, you did.” Pastor Lyle headed back to his office.
Jay wasn’t sure what was happening but trusted Pastor Lyle so he went over and helped Jean put cutlery on the tables.
“So what made you want to help out today?” Jean asked as they wheeled the cart back toward the kitchen.
“I’m struggling with my faith and asked Pastor Lyle to show me Jesus.” Jay scratched his head. “I’m not exactly sure why I’m here.”
“I think you will be before we’re finished.” Jean led him to the steam table. “Can you help Mary serve the food?”
“Great to have some more help today.” A woman with a hairnet and apron shook his hand as he introduced himself to her. “I expect we’ll be busy.”
“Why’s that?” Jay took the hairnet and apron she offered him.
“Because we’re busy every day.” Mary led him to the sink and they washed their hands and put on gloves. Jay watched as some workers from the kitchen came out with trays of vegetables and meatloaf.
Mary handed him a ladle. “One scoop of each per person, okay?”
“Okay.” Jay looked at all the food in front of them. “What if people want more?”
“Then tell them they can have seconds. Some will ask for it and that’s fine. We just don’t want any food to go to waste and sometimes people’s eyes are bigger than their bellies.”
Jay nodded as the doors opened and hungry people made their way to the tables and then formed a line. He was amazed at how noisy the place became as greetings were exchanged and conversation started among those waiting.
A man with a wild beard and tattered coat was first in line. Jay added a scoop of vegetables, potatoes, and meatloaf to his plate and was rewarded with a large grin. The number and variety of those looking for a meal amazed Jay. He expected to see street people like the first man but was surprised when some younger people and even families arrived. When there was a pause in the serving he mentioned what he noticed to Mary.
“Yes, we get people from all walks of life here. Some have mental illness problems, others struggle with addiction, some are working to get basic education, and more than a few live in conditions that we can’t begin to imagine.” Mary sighed. “We make sure they get a meal and a safe place to gather.”
Jay was going to ask something else when he realized there was a little girl was in front of him.
“I don’t like carrots,” she announced. “Just peas please.”
Jay nodded and scooped out the requested items.
“Thank you.” She paused. “Mommy wanted to know if she can have seconds when she’s finished.”
“Of course,” Jay said. The little girls dashed off to sit next to a woman in a large parka. He saw the girl lean in and whisper in her ear. The woman nodded, got up with her tray, and made her way over to the serving table.
“Lily wasn’t supposed to ask you if I could have seconds.” The woman wouldn’t meet Jay’s eyes. “I just didn’t have any breakfast because I gave what we had in the house to her.”
Jay scooped up some vegetables and meatloaf for her plate. “You are welcome to have thirds if you’re still hungry.”
The woman wiped at her eyes. “God bless you.”
Jay watched her return to her table and wondered about the stories of all the people who were there that day -- both those who were eating and those who were serving. He was sure that they were as varied as each individual present. Yet one thing he could feel in the hall as food was being eaten was the sense of grace which was present.
“So did you find what you’re looking for?” Jean asked as she came over. “Have you seen the living Christ among us?”
“I think I have,” Jay said. “I think I have seen.”
Peter Andrew Smith is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada currently serving St. James United Church in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He is the author of All Things are Ready (CSS) a book of lectionary based communion prayers and a number of stories and articles, which can be found listed at www.peterandrewsmith.com.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 15, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2016 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.
