HOMELESS

                                            HOMELESS

        He walked slowly up the stairs to the door, his bare feet feeling the heat of the concrete steps. He quietly slipped inside hoping to find a seat in the rear only to be met in the entry way by an important looking man in a suit and polished shoes.
         “I am the head usher,” the man told him. “May I help you?”
         “I am looking for a seat,” came the reply. “I was told this is a very loving place.”
         “I see,” the usher scratched his beard. “We do strive to be very loving and very kind. It is, after all, what Jesus would do.
         “However, you see, we---er—that is--,well you see--- I think.....”
         “Do you have a speech problem?”
         “No! It’s just that......Well, quite honestly I think you might be more comfortable if you went down the street a couple of blocks. I think you would find you are out of place here. It would make you nervous.”
         “You are the one who’s nervous.”
         “I’m sorry.” The usher regained his composure. “You see, we just had the entire church cleaned and the carpet is new, and...and...Well, frankly. You are dirty, your rags are dirty, and you have no shoes. I cannot allow you in lest you soil something or offend the regular attendees who give to support our church.”
         “Are you saying I am not good enough for your church?”
         “I’m saying you would not find our style of worship suitable for your needs.”
         “Perhaps you are correct.” The visitor replied. “Tell me what I would need to do to be allowed into your church.”
         “Let me explain it.” A deep voice interrupted. “I am senior pastor here and I think you will find the atmosphere here is a bit different than that to which you are accustomed.”
         “I can’t argue that,” the man replied. “What are your requirements?”
         “First of all,” the pastor told him. “You will need to get cleaned up and get some respectable clothes, and a job. I assume you are homeless. Is that correct?”
         “I have no home near here.”
        “If you insist on staying we can put you in an anteroom where the service may be heard on the speakers. You will need to stay there until everyone leaves.”
         “We can offer you a towel to sit on to prevent soiling the chair. Do you know you have a very pungent odor about you?”
         “Sorry.” The man looked very sad. “I really wanted to be a part of your worship service today but apparently you are not having one.”
         “Now see here fellow!” The pastor put forth his best authoritarian tone. “We have a church full of love and people who want to worship. Ask anyone who attends here. No wait! Don’t do that we need to get you out of sight.”
         “Do you really know what love is?”
         “That is what I am speaking on today,” the pastor assured him. “Loving others the way Christ loved us.”
         When do you practice this love you speak of?” The man asked.
         “Sir! That is quite enough. I am going to ask you to leave now.”
         “I’m leaving,” The man sighed. “I really did want to be a part of your service today.”
         “Come back when you are cleaned up.” The pastor told him as he showed him the door.
         “I think I will not come back until you get cleaned up. I hope it is soon.” The man walked sadly out the door.
         “Just for the record,” the pastor called after him. “We are clean and we plan to stay that way.”
         “Good bye.” The man turned and symbolically shook the dust from his feet. “I will not return until you call for me.”
         “Why should I call for you?” The pastor laughed. “What do you have that I could possibly need?”
         “Eternal life.” The man again looked sadly at the pastor, then with a tear in his eye said sadly. “I came and you did not know me. How many have you turned away from me because of your hard heart?”

         The ragged man looked toward heaven and was lifted upward and out of sight, as the prideful pastor and head usher fell to their knees in awe and disbelief.



James 2:2-4
2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,

3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,"

4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
NASB


Luke 12:40
40 "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."
NASB