Today’s Scripture Reading (May 8, 2018): Revelation 19
I met her at a convenience store. In a world
where everyone from major chains to mom and pop stores seem to have heard the
same lecture, make sure that you greet the customer as they enter and smile at
them as they pay and leave, she seemed to have missed that part of the orientation.
I stepped into the store and saw no one. I looked down the aisles, and they were empty as well. As I was getting
my Diet Coke, I heard a gentle beeping and looked around the counter and saw
her squatting, counting packs of cigarettes. There was no greeting. When she
told me how much I owed, there was no smile. After I paid her, without a word,
she simply went back to the task at hand – counting the cigarettes.
My first response, as I walked out of the
store was “I wonder how long she will be able to keep this job?” My second was
a bit different. Is there room in this word for people who are uncomfortable
and prickly; people like her?
I have to admit that I am not the greatest
conversationalist. I have never had the patience to put up with small talk. I often smile because I know that I am supposed
to, greet because it is expected of me. I
also often stay silent because I am often unconvinced that anyone really wants to hear from me. It would not take
much for me to be like her. In fact, I know the truth; when I am busy and stressed, my behavior is exactly like hers. So it
makes the question even more personal. Is there room in this world for people
like me?
As I read the words of the angel, the natural
question seems to be – so, who gets invited to this wedding supper? Actually,
it is a question that theologians have fought over for centuries. For some, it
is just a determined set of people – like God will invite all of the
Republicans to the Feast, but no Democrats or all of the Conservatives, but no
Liberals. Others see the invitation as being more general, all are invited, but
just certain people choose to show up. I tend to support the idea of a more
general invitation, but that really doesn’t matter. The important reality of
the angel’s words are that the invitation is not issued according to our
preferences. I am pretty sure that there will be some prickly and uncomfortable
people at the wedding feast. It is not just the popular people, or the
contemporary people, or the old-time revival people who will be invited. We
won’t be separated according to political ideology or musical preferences. And
I am pretty sure that there will be some surprises about who is there, and who
isn’t, as we gather together around the table. But the ones who are invited,
and accept the invitation, are blessed.
I keep on thinking about the woman who phoned
me to complain about the music in my church. It wasn’t that she went to my
church, or even lived in my city, but that didn’t stop her from being offended
by my music. And I remember her final words to me on that phone call. “If there
is contemporary Christian music in heaven, I don’t want to go.” Those are some
of the saddest words that have ever been spoken to me because we are not the ones who issue the invitation, God does.
And the angel says that all who are invited
are blessed. I think that includes you and me, the woman at the convenience
store, and the woman who I spoke to on the phone. All are invited and blessed.
These are the true words of God.
So the only real question that is left is
this – with all of those prickly people present at the feast, will you accept
the invitation?
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Revelation 20
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