Hypocrites

One Sunday night I was making a church visit when I noticed a small pickup on the side of the road.  It had a camper and a handicap tag.  Our first thought was someone with a disability could be in serious trouble.

Daddy taught me to look out for people with special needs.  If my brothers and I wanted to get in big trouble, all we had to do was make fun or laugh at someone with disabilities.  He taught us to help those who could not help themselves.  He made sure we gave respect to everyone.

I slowed down, looked into the pickup, but saw no one.  We thought about the possibility of the driver struggling up the highway.  A short distance from the pickup we spotted a couple picking up aluminum cans.  At first, we thought one of them was walking with a cane, but we realized that it was a mechanical grip used to pick up cans.

What made the whole thing ironic was would this same couple park in the handicap parking of a business because they could not walk but were about a half mile from their truck walking and picking up cans out on the highway.

I racialized that people do what they want to do.  We make all kinds of excuses for not doing things for the Lord.  I would guess if I had asked this couple to attend worship with me, the church I was going was about two miles from the truck, they would have said they were not able.  The church that we were going has handicap parking at the front door.

So many times, people would rather make excuses about their predicaments and live off the discards of the world.  Some use the excuse that the church is full of hypocrites.  Someone using a handicap parking space without being handicapped is being a hypocrite. It makes me angry to see that, but it does not keep them from shopping in that store, eating at a restaurant, or attending a game. There are hypocrites in all areas of life, but that does not keep us from living.  Why should it keep us from church?

This couple would have benefited more from attending worship than from the few pennies earned from the aluminum cans.  The greatest impairment and disability is life without Jesus.

  Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.  And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;  who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms.  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us.  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something from them.  But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.  And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his feet and his ankle-bones received strength.  And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.  And all the people saw him walking and praising God: (Acts 3:1-9 ASV) 

Oh, by the way, when I got to the church there was a precious couple that always greets me.  I hugged the husband’s neck, reached into the wheelchair, and got my hugs from his wife.  God is so faithful to bless our faithfulness.