I worked with ground’s crew my first year at the University of Montevallo. Our main focus was making the campus beautiful. There was plenty to do being the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Winter was slower and spring meant transformation and an abundance of work. Keeping the campus attractive is laborious was primary for some donors. It is gorgeous in the spring.
I noticed there was an older
gentleman that pulled a little red wagon. It was one that parents used to pull
children. In his hand he had a stick that had a metal point that he used to
pick up trash placing it in the wagon. The physical plant supervisor gave this
older man this special job. In many ways he was a greeter to everyone on
campus. His daughter worker in the university cafeteria.
He and I became friends. His name
was Walter and he loved to talk and share tales. I thought it was a great choice
that the physical plant supervisor employed him. The great tragedy of life is discrimination
against senior adults. There seems to be a lack of respect for older adults. I
thanked the physical plant supervisor for hiring Walter.
I had no idea that Walter and I
would cross paths on another venue of life. Walter and his wife Georgia were
members of the first church that I pastored. Walter and I would see one another
each day except Saturday. Sometimes the church would have an activity on
Saturday.
The church suffered from lack of
tithes and offerings and struggled with paying the bills. Through the blessings
of God, the little church was able to pay all of its delinquent bills and start
a building fund. Walter, who worked for minimum wage apologized for not being able
to contribute very much, especially to the building fund.
For more information about the
church situation consider reading my blog “My First Pastorate” April 6, 2022.
I explained that the amount of their
giving was not as important as their commitment to giving. I told them that it
is not equal giving, but equal sacrifice. I reminded them of the widow’s mite
as opposed to the giving the of the religious leaders.
They committed to giving two
dollars to the building fund each Sunday. With smiles as big as the Cheshire
Cat from Alice in Wonderland, they placed their two dollars in the offering
plate. They inspired others to commit to giving. I have shared their sacrifice
with each church I preached, and it continues to stimulate sacrificial giving.
One Sunday I noticed that Walter
and Georgia were absence. When I saw Walter at the University the next day, I
asked if everything was okay. He assured me that it was, but he said that the
old pews were hard and uncomfortable. I told him that I would help in the
situation. The next Sunday I had two rocking chairs in church for them. One of
the joys of preaching was watching Walter and Georgia rocking to the music and
to the sermon. A sweet spirit engulfed the sanctuary.
As a retired Direct of Missions
and former Building Consultant for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions,
I remind church to make the church available for people. As one that has had
knee replacements, I realized that many churches are telling people you are not
welcome. They may not say it with words, but without being available to people
with special needs.
We need to train leaders to be
kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving and slow to speak, slow to wrath. Leading
with humility and peace, creates a “household of God” where worshipers feel
welcomed, respected, and spiritually nourished.
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast
money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a
certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he
called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That
this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the
treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did
cast in all that she had, even all her living, Mark 12:41-44 KJV
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 KJV
Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath James 1:19 KJV
