Seeing Red...

Please read Exodus 35-36 and Acts 10 if you're interested in reading the Bible through in a year.

Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all." Acts 10:34-36 (NIV)

This morning, I am remembering "Red." Those of you who live in Fayetteville probably remember "Red." Before his death, he could be seen walking all over town asking for money to buy alcohol and cigarettes. On Sunday mornings, you could be sure that he would make his way to our church. He was always dirty, always foul-smelling, always begging.

The easy thing to do would have been to turn Red away at the door or quickly give him some money so that he'd leave without too much of a disturbance. But that's not what happened. Instead, good people from our church invited Red to come worship with us. They sat with him. They helped him find the hymns in the hymn book. They helped him find the scripture reading in the pew Bible. They asked him how he was feeling and inquired about his needs. When the offering plate came by, they'd put some money in Red's hand. At first, Red tried to keep the money for himself, but he was told that the money was to be given to God as an expression of thanks. He reluctantly put it in the plate the first few times, but soon became more of a cheerful giver. At the end of worship each Sunday, church members would make sure that Red had the means to get a warm meal...and (I'm guessing) another cigarette.

Red could be a disruption. You never knew when he might get up to go smoke or to take a seat in the choir loft. But Red was welcomed in our church because our church believes that Jesus is Lord of all.

In today's scripture reading, Peter falls into a trance and heaven is opened. Peter sees all sorts of animals and is told to kill and eat them. Peter initially resists because early Jewish-Christian tradition regarded many of these animals as impure and unclean. But the voice tells Peter that he should not call anything impure what God has made clean. Peter is then prompted by the spirit to go to a man who already has three strikes against him (he's a Gentile, a Roman citizen, and a member of the army that is occupying Israel at the time) to testify to the fact that Jesus is Lord of all.

When Peter went out of his comfort zone to acknowledge Cornelius' inclusion in God's kingdom, the Scripture records that the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Maybe that's why I often sensed the Holy Spirit in a special way when I'd look to the back of the church and see Red sitting there.

May God grant you the grace to embrace that Jesus is Lord of all and provide you with a Red or a Cornelius with whom to share the Good News today.