"I am the Queen of Sheba"

 

Several times in the last few days I ran across the name Sheba.  One of the occurrences was the History Channel.  A program on the Ark of the Covenant told how that King Solomon and Sheba were married, had a son, and Solomon gave the son the Ark and it is in Ethiopia today.  There is a Hebrew word for that, “Baloney”.

Actually, I thought Indiana Jones found it the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark and it is filed deep in the archives of the Smithsonian Institute.  Who knows?

I did have a conversation with the Queen of Sheba in New Orleans.  No, I am not fibbing.  Here is what happened.

One of the requirements for getting a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) while attending its Extension in Birmingham was I had to spend 13 weeks on the New Orleans campus within the four year program.  I accomplished this having earned four years of vacation from the cement plant.  I spent my vacations in New Orleans in class taking tests.  One week was equivalent to a full term.

One of the breaks from this vigorous schedule was a trip to a steak and seafood restaurant named Jack Dempsey’s.  If you go to New Orleans be sure to go and order the steak and red fish platter for two.  It is wonderful and it is more than two can eat.

It was a trip to Jack Dempsey’s that I met the Queen of Sheba.  She was from the Marietta Extension of NOBTS in Georgia and she had been invited by some of the other female students that tagged along with several of us preachers.  New Orleans is not a very safe place for females at night.

Sitting around a large table we enjoyed the food and company of one another.  It was exciting to meet new people and share our experiences.  The Queen appeared older than most of us.  She dressed and acted sophisticated, maybe a tag snobbish.  I was cutting up and having a good time when she asked me, “How did you get into this program?”

Being simple minded, I told her that I had registered.  She then said, “I thought you had to have a college degree to register.”  I responded by telling her that I had a college degree from the University of Montevallo.

She said, “If you have a college degree, I am the Queen of Sheba.”

My preacher friends, the other ladies (wanting to be preachers) that knew me waited for my response.  I had two cards, wallet sized certificates, in my wallet from the Phi Alpha Theta and the Sigma Tau Delta.  Now I know that is Greek.  The Phi Alpha Theta is from the History Honor Society for having an “A” average.  The Sigma Tau Delta is from the English Honor Society, one of the top five in the nation, for having an “A” average in English.

I took the cards from my wallet, gave them to her, and said “Here, read this Queen of Sheba.”

It was a precious moment that I cherish even as I write this article.  My friends around the table erupted in laughter.  The Queen of Sheba was speechless.  She gathered her composure and asked, “Why don’t you talk like you have an education?”

I said, “Mam, I pastor a small rural church in Bibb County Alabama.  The people I serve are good old country people.  If I talk prim and proper I cannot communicate with them.  I know when to act educated and when to be me.  I am country, proud of it, and you will have to accept me for who I am.

I have often wondered what she said when she went back to Georgia.

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions . . . And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.  Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard (I Kings 10:1, 6-7 KJV)

A Country Bumpkin

Brenda was dissatisfied with her church and longed to return to her Baptist roots.  She wanted her young daughter to have the same Biblical foundation of faith that her mother had provided for her.  There was something missing at her current church that the rural provided.

Brenda and her husband were faithful church members, were active in church work, and were practicing pharmacists.  He was persuing a law degree and she was persuing her heart.  They discussed her desire and he encouraged her to find a Baptist church that would help her in her journey.

He did have a criterion for her in choosing a church.  First, the church of her choice needed to be one in town and not out in the country.  Second, wanted her to choose a church were the pastor had an education, preferable college and better if was seminary and not one with a backwoods Baptist preacher.  He had the same concern for their daughter, as did she.

Third, he requested that she visit the church where the local physician, a family friend, attended.  Another friend, a local insurance agent, her baby sitter, and several other friends attended the same church.

Brenda decided to visit the church were their friends attended.  When she arrived, she giggled as the preacher greeted her at the entrance.  She giggled because the church that her husband wanted her to attend had a country preacher.  Shocked by the greeting, Brenda hesitated a moment.  When she saw friends, she darted toward them.  Her thoughts swirled in her head as she thought what kind of mess I have gotten into this morning.  She could not wait to see her husband that afternoon when he returned home from work.

Brenda enjoyed the music during the worship.  She was taken as the preacher took time with the children during what was called pastors’ pals.  The country twang of the preacher had grasped her attention.  Over and over, she thought of her husband’s admonition, “Don’t attend a church that has a backwoods preacher.”  It was his suggestion to attend this church.

Brenda felt a little more at ease with the old familiar Baptist faith hymns, the warm welcome of strangers, and affirmation of friends.  When the preacher announced his text, Brenda thought, “This sure will be interesting.”  The preacher’s text was Revelation 6:5-6, “The Black Horse.”

Brenda had been a student of the Book of Revelation and understood how symbolic and controversial the Book of Revelation is.  The country-bumpkin’ preacher had her attention.  He spoke of demographics, famine, and poverty.  He quoted Dr. Billy Graham’s book, Storm Warning.  He spoke of twenty-six million people are at risk to famine in the Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Malawi, Angola, and Mozambique.  He told how civil war rages and conspires with drought to create famine. He spoke of false religion and apostasy of the white horse, and war of the red horse leading to famine and pestilence. He told how the human sufferings of the black horse are ahead if we fail to keep the commandments of God. He preached of the starving in Africa and Asia contrast the $15 billion dollars spent on diet formulas and $22 billion spent on cosmetics in North America and Europe.  He spoke of the problem is not all shortage, but distribution.  He spoke of the poetry and literary content of Revelation and that resonated with Brenda.

Brenda could not wait to see her husband.  She said, “You are not going to believe what I heard today.  You know the warning you had about the country-bumpkin preacher . . .” 

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine (Revelation 6:5-6 KJV).

I see Brenda and Mark from time to time.  They remain faithful servants at the church where they heard the country-bumpkin preacher.  Brenda still giggles when she sees me.