No Thanks!
On my way out of the church late one afternoon, I was chagrined to see,
coming towards the church down the walkway, a rather forlorn looking man
with a small bag, obviously a wanderer, a vagabond, a drifter, obviously
coming toward the church seeking a handout.
This is what you get for having a church situated near a busy highway.
These drifters drift through about twice a week, seeking a tank of gas
for their trip, a meal, a gift -- preferably in cash -- for their
journey to who knows where. They always have some sad story of woe to
tell but the end is always the same -- can you spare about $25.00 in
cash.
I sighed as I watched the man approach. It had been a long day. I had a
meeting to return for that night and I was anxious to get home. I would
meet him at the door, head him off, give him the only cash I had -- a
mere $15.00 as I recall -- and then send him, and me, on our way.
"What can I do for you?" I asked with some annoyance in my voice.
"I wondered if you might be able to help a fella' on the way South," he
said. "I was headed down to...."
"Yes, yes," I said. "Well, I'm in a bit of a rush. So here is all I
have. A five and a ten. That's all I've got."
The man took the money as I offered it. Looked at it. And without a
word, he turned, and headed out toward the street.
Then he stopped, and turned toward me as I locked the church door. "I
guess you think I'm supposed to thank you, to be grateful," he said with
a surprising tone of defiance.
"Well," I said, "now that you mention it, a little gratitude wouldn't
hurt."
"Well, I'm not going to thank you. You want to know why?" he sneered.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you are a Christian. You don't help me because you want to. You
have to help me because he [now thrusting his finger up into the air]
told you to help me!" And then he left.
I stood there, stunned, angry. The nerve of these people!
On my drive home it finally hit me. He was right. Amen.
Professor William Willimon (Duke University), Sermons: "Commanded to
Love," May 4, 1997, Sixth Sunday of Easter, John 15:9-17.