I witnessed a rather strange, pathetic scene on the steps of a leading city church the other day. There was apparently some social function going on in the church, for the ladies were entering the building all dressed up in their finery. They came in groups of two and three.
As I waited on the corner in front of the church, an old gentleman very much under the influence of alcohol made his way to the church steps and sat down to one side of the door. I stood and watched the good ladies, and some gentlemen of the church, as they pass the old gentleman, and without exception there were looks of utter horror and disgust on their faces. To them it was a sacrilege that a poor derelict should sit intoxicated on the church steps. Because I still have some small grain of faith in man, I waited to see if perhaps one person going into the church might stop to offer the old man some help. I wondered if perhaps there wouldn't be just one person who would pick the old man up, take him into the church, for a few moments of comfort and shelter, and perhaps a few words of encouragement. No one came forward, and soon a policeman hustled the old man on his way. A few heads were poked out of the church door as he was being led away and they seemed happy that the house of God was no longer being desecrated by the presence of an "untouchable".
As I wandered away from the scene I couldn’t help wondering what Jesus would have done had he found the old man drunk on his church steps. Would he have called the authorities? Would he have passed by in disgust, or would he have held out a helping hand? I thought to myself – perhaps the old man thought he would get help at the church. He made it right to the door, but no one asked him in.
No comments:
Post a Comment