Slandered
Marie Roberts found Jesus in an unlikely place. I wonder if she had sought him out before. Probably. If so, where? One would hope that Marie would see Jesus reflected in a pastor.
Dale Galloway is one of the most wonderful servants of God you'll ever have the privilege to meet. Dale was the Dean of the Beeson Institute at Asbury Theological Seminary when I was there. Dale holds the pastorate in the highest esteem. He said to me, "David, if God's called you to be a pastor, don't stoop to be a king." Dale said he wants one word on his tombstone - 'Pastor'. Pastors have the privilege of proclaiming Jesus' love as preachers and servants.
What if Marie's first acquaintance with a pastor had been Fred Phelps? Fred Phelps is a self-described pastor, but he slanders the title. When I see Fred Phelps on the evening news asserting that the God who welcomes home Prodigals (Luke 15) actually hates Prodigals, especially "fags", my blood boils. He slanders pastors, but more importantly, he slanders the prodigal loving God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the woman caught in adultery and every other ragamuffin (me).
Fred has company. All the tele-pastors who continually beg for money rather than proclaim that there is a God who says to those who labor for that money, "Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls.
What if Marie had gone looking for Jesus in a church? Would she have found Him there? Or would she have been met with unfriendly stares, political commentary from the pulpit, more pleas for money?
Would she see the image of Christ in me? Since I know what's wrong with Fred Phelps and churches who can't get it right, maybe I'm the one who will represent Christ best. I have to confess though, I'm in Fred's company as well. I slander God every time I misrepresent him through my actions and failure to act. I typically misrepresent Jesus through my love. I'm deeply in love with someone who is not my wife. I'm in love with me. I relentlessly pursue my own comfort and my own well-being.
Thank God, Marie met Jesus - in an unlikely place...at her husband's funeral.
Charles Carl Roberts said goodbye to Marie and his three small children last week, drove to an Amish school building and murdered 5 children before he was killed. He leaves his family a legacy of shame, pain, heartbreak, embrassment, and tragedy. I can't begin to imagine the sadness, fear, and anger Marie felt as she and her bewildered children stood over the open grave of a husband and daddy. Her thoughts were interrupted by a blessing. A caravan of black, horse-drawn carriages made their way to the graveyard, and a stream of simple, plainly dressed Amish families poured out of the carriages. Though they were in the storm of their own blinding grief, Amish moms, dads, grandparents, brothers and sisters and friends surrounded Marie and her three small children in the deep, deep love of God - and Marie saw Jesus.
Dale Galloway is one of the most wonderful servants of God you'll ever have the privilege to meet. Dale was the Dean of the Beeson Institute at Asbury Theological Seminary when I was there. Dale holds the pastorate in the highest esteem. He said to me, "David, if God's called you to be a pastor, don't stoop to be a king." Dale said he wants one word on his tombstone - 'Pastor'. Pastors have the privilege of proclaiming Jesus' love as preachers and servants.
What if Marie's first acquaintance with a pastor had been Fred Phelps? Fred Phelps is a self-described pastor, but he slanders the title. When I see Fred Phelps on the evening news asserting that the God who welcomes home Prodigals (Luke 15) actually hates Prodigals, especially "fags", my blood boils. He slanders pastors, but more importantly, he slanders the prodigal loving God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the woman caught in adultery and every other ragamuffin (me).
Fred has company. All the tele-pastors who continually beg for money rather than proclaim that there is a God who says to those who labor for that money, "Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls.
What if Marie had gone looking for Jesus in a church? Would she have found Him there? Or would she have been met with unfriendly stares, political commentary from the pulpit, more pleas for money?
Would she see the image of Christ in me? Since I know what's wrong with Fred Phelps and churches who can't get it right, maybe I'm the one who will represent Christ best. I have to confess though, I'm in Fred's company as well. I slander God every time I misrepresent him through my actions and failure to act. I typically misrepresent Jesus through my love. I'm deeply in love with someone who is not my wife. I'm in love with me. I relentlessly pursue my own comfort and my own well-being.
Thank God, Marie met Jesus - in an unlikely place...at her husband's funeral.
Charles Carl Roberts said goodbye to Marie and his three small children last week, drove to an Amish school building and murdered 5 children before he was killed. He leaves his family a legacy of shame, pain, heartbreak, embrassment, and tragedy. I can't begin to imagine the sadness, fear, and anger Marie felt as she and her bewildered children stood over the open grave of a husband and daddy. Her thoughts were interrupted by a blessing. A caravan of black, horse-drawn carriages made their way to the graveyard, and a stream of simple, plainly dressed Amish families poured out of the carriages. Though they were in the storm of their own blinding grief, Amish moms, dads, grandparents, brothers and sisters and friends surrounded Marie and her three small children in the deep, deep love of God - and Marie saw Jesus.
posted by DSlagle at 9:47 AM
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