Shade Tree Wisdom 12/3/08

The report is that Hormel in Austin, Minnesota, has added a third shift. They make SPAM. Remember it? It seems to be selling rapidly these days, and Wal-Mart can’t keep its Romani noodles in stock. So the paper said this morning we are in a depression.

And one of the signs of the season is every mail brings appeals, for this and that, with your name tags printed as their “free gift” to you as their lure.

I suppose you do what most of us do. Select several dear to our hearts and ignore the rest, which seems a logical choice to make.

But on this matter of giving let me tell you a story. It happened many years ago in a time when there weren’t so many Pastors retired and ready to serve as needed. So, my neighbor in Missouri asked me to fill his pulpit on a Sunday afternoon while he took a much needed vacation. He said he would have the worship set for 2 o’clock if I would fill in. I said I would, but said there probably would be few here since it was a hot day and afternoon yet. He told me not to worry about that.

So after my morning services and a quick lunch, I set out. It was a drive of some 35 miles, mostly rural roads, and so I took son Ned, who was maybe 4 at the time, to keep me company. His lively chatter made time fly by. We arrived at the church a bit early. The door was open, so I took my Bible and robe to the sacristy and came back to the front. Meanwhile Ned has been looking around and spotted a little locked box with a slit in top marked “for the poor”. He pointed that out and said, “Dad, we should put something in here”. So I took a quarter and a five dollar bill, all the money I had, and asked him to make a choice. He took the bill and stuffed it into the box.

Well, people started arriving, so I greeted the Elder on duty and prepared for worship. The church was full. And their choir, consisting of 12 men and women, were
a really fine group (Our choir director would take them all in, I am sure).

So after worship I greeted the people, and after they left prepared to leave for home. Then the Elder stopped me, and said while unlocking that box, ‘we give our visiting preacher whatever is in this box for his gas money.” And handed me my five dollars.

So I ask you, even at this late date, what should I have done? But does it not say
something about this whole business of sharing what we have, and doing it cheerfully
and gladly?

God bless the day.

GPD 12/3/08