Love One Another, Associate With The Lowly

Our community has more trouble in a week than many neighborhoods have in a lifetime. Almost every day we deal with the surprising. We have come to realize that our "surprising" is everyone else's "shocking." Today has, so far, been uneventful. That is, it's down to a low roar. But yesterday, I was asked by a newly reformed addict/prostitute if I could do a wedding for her and her friend. I guess I mean fiance. He looked high. It turns out he had been drinking. She is headed one direction, towards sobriety, I think. He is headed another. We have known this lady, for years. We have seen her go through cycles of falling into the drug life and then standing again. I was amazed at the life risking temperatures she would brave, to stand out on the street for enough money to get her next high. After all these years of ministry to her, years of friendship, and joy when she would get free, they wanted to have the ceremony yesterday! The time of day didn't matter. Anytime I wanted to do it, except, they were in a hurry because of work schedules. That story, which is still going, started just as I was involved in encouraging a family man to pursue wisdom for the sake of his family, community, and ministry. 

I ran into the joyful couple, at noon, when we were taking the academy kids on their monthly excision to fast food. They wanted an answer. I wanted relief. I told them I would call in the afternoon. We headed off with a bus load of kids. Six blocks further someone ran the light at 10th and Sherman. I swerved, honked, all was well.  Though I remember it clearly today. If the wedding request was surprising, then this near bus crash was a hiccup. We unloaded and enjoyed a moment of fast food reward. Then my phone rang. It was our daughter from Vietnam. Only one of us could talk, so I got the privilege. Debbie would continue the "lunch room monitoring."  Our daughter and I were able to laugh at the unexpected things in both places. She was so glad it was fast food day. She remembered it fondly from her days at school. She offered to call back later, when it would be less crazy.  Knowing that would never be the case we continued in the joy of the moment.

When we got back to the church building the couple was on the street near our stop. I talked to them and declined the opportunity to perform the ceremony. They were sad and told me that you couldn't get married by judge at the City County building any more. I told them that I would look into it. I have, and it is complicated.

By the time small group rolled around we had survived torrential rains, finished at school, cooked for fifty plus people, answered most of the after spring break phone calls, and found a man sleeping on the front steps of the church building. Small group was going to be a relief.  And it was!  The Scripture says to "love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor… do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight."  Small group was the place that all the concerns of the day could be talked about. It was the place that surviving the day could be put aside for the care of those around us. It was the time and place where we could find the joy of a church that loves each other.  As for associating with the lowly, when it is done right, you find out that you are the lowly too. That is all right, because brotherly love makes the day better, especially if we are all lowly.

Romans 12:10-16