Musings about the Tasks that Lie Ahead

August 4, 1996 - pm

Using a favorite verse: John 15:8 -also again- the lectionary about the pearl of great price from Matthew 13:

This time of the year is often if not always difficult for me. The task ahead seems absolutely overwhelming. It always does this time of year. I think it is because I have a little understanding of the mega-size of the job— of what a perfect church might be— and I know a little bit more about our shortcomings— my own in particular.

I think of the way some pastors can plan out the entire year, and have the machinery all oiled and well running. I think of the year in the large segments— of the Gospel we will be studying— of the themes and emphases I believe God would be pleased to open to us all. I look ahead to the beginning again of fall— the Advent Season and preparing for Christmas— to Messiah, and Epiphany and then all too soon, to Lent and Easter and Holy Week and Pentecost, and I think of how we need small groups and children's teachers and classes on personal evangelism and classes on membership and church history and on and on— until I am almost exhausted and the year has not even begun.

But then I realize with God's help some things that help me return to the task with hope, and with love, and yes, even with joy. In my private prayers I have heard God saying things you and I know, but need to hear again:

1. I am not alone. I have God and we have each other. I don't have to do it all by myself.
2. I can do some things. I don't have to do what I cannot do with God's help.
3. I am loved (and so are YOU!) God cares about me! He cares about YOU! What I am and WHO I am are more important to God than what I do.

I don't say these things to lessen the standards of excellence in my work for the church. As comforting as these things are, I also realize that

1. God expects the church to represent Him: we are God's ambassadors!
2. I have a pretty good idea of what the church is expected to do:
   • worship
   • witness
   • educate
   • fellowship
   • serve
3. I am willing to join hands with YOU and begin again the wonderful task of being God's people:

When do we begin? Just As I Am— and waiting not!

• not waiting for someone on TV to say it is "OK!" God speaks at the local church level!
• not waiting for the perfectly organized program. We can be used of God even before we understand all the lines of authority and accountability
• not waiting until we have a seminar or class to "show me how." Reporting for duty every single day .
• not waiting for one who can "do it better!" This is the particular curse of a large (college) church— you have "so much talent!"
• not waiting until I am in "the inner circle." Even when we feel "left out" at times— it is a feeling, not a reality!

Real praise goes beyond the "expression"— clapping, hands raised, shouts of "Amen!" Those are well and good and we should not "quench the spirit" (Spirit) But real praise comes when we seek to manifest the Spirit of Christ in love where we are!

Best of all, the Lord Himself is willing to bankrupt heaven to help us in his work of redemption. When we start out NOW to do His work and will HE will be with us, no matter how little or insignificant that our ambassadorial role may be.

Our pearl of great price — our treasure — is right around us, the people we deal with every day. I came across an old story again this week, from Marian Wright Edelman. She tells this story about a school teacher,

"Jean Thompson, and a fifth grade boy, Teddy Stollard: On the first day of school, Jean Thompson told her students, "Boys and girls, I love you all the same." But she did not like little Teddy Stollard. He slouched in his chair, didn't pay attention, his mouth hung open in a stupor, his eyes were always unfocused, his clothes were mussed, his hair unkempt, and he smelled. He was an unattractive boy and Jean Thompson didn't like him.

Through school records, the teacher learned that Teddy's mother had died a year ago and his father showed no interest. A previous teacher's note had read: "Teddy is in deep waters; he's totally withdrawn."

Christmas came, and the boys and girls brought their presents and piled them on her desk. They were all in brightly colored paper except for Teddy's. His was wrapped in brown paper and held together with a string. And scribbled on it were the words, "For Miss Thompson from Teddy." She tore open the paper and out fell a rhinestone bracelet with most of the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume, almost empty. When the other boys and girls started to giggle she had enough sense to put some of the perfume on her wrist, put on the bracelet, hold her wrist up to the class and say, "Doesn't it smell lovely? Isn't the bracelet pretty?" And taking their cue from the teacher, they all agreed.

At the end of the day, when all the children had left, Teddy lingered, came over to her desk and said, "Miss Thompson, all day long you smelled just like my mother. And her bracelet, that's her bracelet, it looks real nice on you. too. I'm really glad you like my presents." And when he left, she got down on her knees and buried her head in her chair, and she begged God to forgive her. From then on, she was a different teacher. She tutored Teddy and put herself out for him. By the end of the year, Teddy had caught up with some of the children and was even ahead of some. Several years later, Jean Thompson got this note.

Dear Miss Thompson: I'm graduating and I'm second in my high school class. I wanted you to be the first to know. Love, Teddy. Four years later she got another note: Dear Miss Thompson: I wanted you to be the first to know. The university has not been easy, but I like it. Love, Teddy Stollard.

Four years later, another note: Dear Miss Thompson: As of today, I am Theodore J. Stollard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I'm going to be married in July. I want you to come and sit where my mother would have sat, because you're the only family I have. Dad died last year. And she went and she sat where his mother should have sat because she deserved to be there.

Dr. Teddy Stollard was a pearl of great price. I'm not sure that Miss Thompson had any idea that he was. But the LORD did! HE is the one who is looking for pearls — and he is using us to look! just one Teddy Stollard would be a pretty good year's work for our church — and I am sure that there are more than one we can find. We ALL are God's pearls — and we ALL are God's pearl-finders as well.

The task ahead could be overwhelming if we had to do it alone, or had to do it perfectly all at once. But you and I can do what we can do with God's help. We can remember we are not alone— we have God, and we have each other. And we can look forward the rest of this summer with prayer and anticipation and love and hope and joy because that is what God wants us to do! It is HIS work! And we are HIS family. Amen.

What is our treasure? What is our pearl of great price?

We have been freely given a treasure...eternal life, beginning right here on earth. How are we being grateful, full of joy, and working at sharing our treasure with others?