A guy named Darnell is at the Pearly Gates, next in line for a chat with St. Peter, and finally steps forward. St. Peter starts thumbing through the Book of Life to find his name. Darnell is worried that it is taking so long. Finally, St. Peter says, “Well, here you are! I found it! I see you are a faithful believer.”
“Yes sir, that’s right, born again, trusting in Jesus,” says Darnell. “And I am thankful to be here.”
St. Peter says, “I see lots of interesting stories in here about kind things you have done. You seem to have a great reputation for being helpful when people are in need. Tell me, what’s your most memorable story of helping someone in need?”
Darnell commences, “Well, probably the scariest moment of trying to help someone was the time when I came around a corner after dark in the city and there was a gang in the alley beating up an elderly gentleman. I just had to help him out. I grabbed an iron pipe on the ground, ran down the alley right into the middle of them. I walked straight up to the leader of the gang, a huge guy with a studded leather jacket and a chain running from his nose to his ear. At that point, the gang members formed a circle around me. So, I ripped the leader’s chain off his face and smashed him over the head with the pipe. Then I turned around and yelled to the rest of them, ‘Leave this poor innocent man alone, you slime! You’re all a bunch of sick, deranged animals! Go home before I teach you all a lesson in pain!’”
St. Peter says, “Really? That sounds like a frightful situation. However, I do not see this story in the Book. When did this happen?”
And Darnell says, “About five minutes ago.”
I hope you have a reputation for being helpful. In Chattanooga, we are not only dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the last few days we have the added tragedy of a series of tornadoes. Emergency Management says that over 1,000 structures were damaged, with 344 of those being completely destroyed. This amounts to approximately $300 million in damage, with 450 persons displaced from their homes and 2 known deaths in Hamilton County.
I am thankful for Nathan and Jason, who both have a reputation for being helpful and who responded with generator power. There are hundreds more like them out there helping one another recover from this destructive event.
It particularly pleases me to see the Christian community responding to these needs. Interestingly, the Thursday Bible Gateway verse of the day is … “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8)
Because we love one another, we help when there is a need.
Enjoy your weekend, including family, rest, and worship,
Yes, you can worship at home!
Chaplain Mark