Practicing What We Preach

"One of the great tragedies of life is that men seldom bridge the gulf between practice and profession, between doing and saying." MLK Jr.

There are some people who do not see strangers, only potential friends, only children of God. Surely they are the angels in our midst.

This past Sunday there was a slightly unkempt homeless man sitting on the steps of the Sanctuary building looking rather forlorn. Most people walked on by. He was bearded and wearing a jumpsuit reminiscent of a superman costume. We who work downtown have become accustomed to people like him.

But an angel of the Lord came and sat beside this man. She introduced herself and asked him his name. She wanted to know if there was anything she could do for him. He said he was hungry and started to cry. The angel took him by the hand, led him into the church and fed him coffee, juice and donuts. She sat with him in worship and put her arm around him so that others would know that he was with her. They wept together as the preacher talked about suffering and grace and God’s love.

After the service she took him to her home. She let him take a shower, fed him a big lunch, and gave him new clothes. She listened to him and prayed with him. Then her sweet husband drove the man back downtown, clean and refreshed.

This act of faith humbles me. This act of faith disturbs me. How can I ever live up to that?

Do angels come to live among us to shake us out of our complacency? Was Jesus serious when he said, “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple?”

God, help me practice what I preach. Amen.