2
Samuel 12:7-10, 13
Galatians
2:16, 19-21
Luke
7:36-8:3
I’d like to talk
about the danger of assumption and how
assumption many times leads to an even more treacherous danger: judgment.
Just as the
Gospel story is Jesus’ way of teaching a Pharisee about the dangers of assumption
and judgment, the story I will share with you proves the lesson still
holds true today, some two-thousand years after Christ.
Sadly, we all
can be Pharisees at times (Yes, even priests and deacons). We can all judge people for their outward
appearances or how they behave. But can
we truly judge a book by its cover?
When we assume
we make a “you know what” out of you and me.
I worked for a
former Navy commander who taught me to NEVER use the word assume. It’s dangerous ground to stand on, kind of
like standing on ice, and only makes us look silly when we slip and fall.
This story is
about changing the world one life at a time; by showing love to one single
person. But it’s also the story about
the assumptions and judgment lurking in our hearts that prevent us from taking
the first step and building a dignity-filled relationship.
My dear friend
Dianah and her family first saw the homeless woman sitting on a street corner
ranting and raving as traffic drove by while coming home from Sunday church
service in their hometown of Spokane.
The woman
clearly was dealing with some deep-seeded demons and appeared mentally
ill.
Most people
would just look the other way and keep driving.
 |
Dianah and her
family had done so several times before one particularly cold day when her boyfriend Mike just couldn’t do
it. He could no longer look the other
way and keep driving.
He got out of
the car, walked up to the woman, and said, “Is there anything you need?” The woman said, “I’d love a cup of coffee.” So, they drove to the corner Chevron to buy
the coffee and Dianah said, “We need to get her a sandwich, too.” So they
bought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Turned out the woman “loved peanut butter and jelly” sandwiches. She was so excited about the sandwich and hot
coffee and said, “Thank you.”
Dianah is
someone I’ve known for 16 years. She
knows about judgment and when I tell her full story you may be surprised to
hear who judged her.
This would not
be the last time Dianah and the homeless woman would see each other. Dianah would drive by every couple of days
and ask if there was anything the woman needed.
This went on for
months. Dianah found out the woman loved
hot cocoa and warm banana bread with butter on it. So she brought her some fresh banana bread
and hot cocoa on a regular basis. The
woman usually would look at Dianah like she was “just nuts” for doing all these
nice things for her.
She asked her, “Why
do you keep stopping by?” Saying, other "people
stop by, but you keep coming back.”
Dianah said, “I
think God put you in my life for a reason.”
The homeless woman said to her, “Yea, maybe.”
The woman told
Dianah, “People like you don’t come back.”
In other words, well-dressed, professional people like Dianah don’t come
back. Dianah would drop off tarps and
blankets and other needed items for the street lady.
Dianah would
usually sit down on the sidewalk with the woman during their visits together to
get on her level.
One day during a
visit, Dianah noticed the woman didn’t have any shoes. This was in the middle of winter. It was cold out. The woman claimed someone had taken her
shoes. So, Dianah went
and got her a pair.
Dianah eventually learned the woman’s name was Marcella.
Dianah eventually learned the woman’s name was Marcella.
Due to city
ordinances, Marcella was forced to move on a regular basis. This made it difficult for Dianah to find
her. But Dianah always found a way to
track down Marcella.
I first learned of Dianah’s experiences with
Marcella through Facebook picture posts from Dianah’s boyfriend Mike, another
dear friend and longtime homeless advocate.A friendship blossomed and Marcella began to count on Dianah to stop by for a visit. Slowly, her mood started to change. Dianah would see Marcella smile, joke and laugh more and more.
One day Dianah
stopped by and could tell Marcella was crying.
It was such a bitter, cold winter day that Dianah was afraid to get out
of the car. Turned out it was the
anniversary of Marcella’s father’s death a decade and a half earlier and
Marcella was not in the mood for a visit.
Dianah asked, “Are
you OK? Do you need a hug?”
Marcella looked
at her and said, “I’m strong.”
Dianah told her “You are strong, but we’re still allowed to be hurting inside.” She got out of her car and hugged Marcella
as the homeless woman cried in Dianah’s arms for a long while. And in that moment, Dianah and Marcella
became forever friends.
Once Marcella
told Dianah, “People keep telling me I’m on Facebook. I don’t even know what Facebook is. But you’re making me famous.” Dianah said, “No, I think you’re making
yourself famous.”
Soon, others
would join in helping Marcella on the streets due to her Facebook fame. In fact, Dianah met a Spokane police officer
who would check in on Marcella every night just to make sure she was OK.
Dianah realized
Marcella had a heart that was not meant to be on the streets and started to
look for ways to get her off the street and talking to Marcella about
this.
Dianah also
began to bring her young daughter Kaitlin by to join them on the visits. Kaitlin and Marcella would always play jacks.
A few months
later Dianah and her family were about to go on vacation. So, she told Marcella about the vacation each
day she visited in the weeks before departing so Marcella would remember.
When Dianah got
back from vacation and tracked down Marcella, there were lots of tears and
another long, long hug. Marcella had gotten
confused and was afraid she would never see Dianah again.
A few months later, Dianah lost touch with
Marcella. Dianah became despondent. Where was her friend? She disappeared from the streets. Had something happened?
Weeks went by
and Marcella was nowhere to be found.
Dianah and her
family attend a Sunday service at a non-denominational church that does a
weekly feed for low income and homeless in Spokane. Actually, many homeless attend the church
service, too.
Marcella told
Dianah that day, “You know, we’re kindred spirits.”
Marcella is
getting mental health counseling and taking her medications. She's moved back home with her estranged
husband. Her life is far from normal, but she's no longer on the streets, and now is on the road to recovery. Dianah even found out Marcella used to be a
nurse.
Both had judged
a book by its cover. Both had been wrong
about each other. Both learned to love
each other just as Christ loved the woman who cleaned his feet in today’s
Gospel reading.
My friend Dianah
has been judged in her past, too. Judged
for being a divorcee, judged as being an immoral person, judged as an unfit
mother to her 10-year-old daughter.
Sadly, the one
who judged her was a Catholic priest.
This breaks my
heart and shows we can all be Pharisees at times and assume things about people
that are not true.
I know Dianah as
a salt of the earth person. When she
told me what the priest had said to her, I was shocked, saddened and at a loss
of words.
I love our
Catholic Church, but even priests and deacons can judge a book by its cover,
assume things about people, and not show the dignity Christ showed ALL he
encountered during his ministry.
One bible
commentary points out this Gospel passage is “SOBER in its presentation of religious
self-righteousness.”
Another
interesting thing about today’s Gospel reading is the presence of women
throughout the reading. It wasn’t that
uncommon for women to support rabbis and their disciples with money, property
and food, but to leave home and travel with a rabbi - that was scandalous in
the time of Jesus.
This bible story helps us to understand we may
be blind to our sinfulness, or too fearful or too proud to ask that our debt be
written off.
I pray all
followers of Christ will look deep inside OUR hearts and question the assumptions
and judgments that keep us at arm’s length of Christ’s love. And ask God to write off our debt and make us
new again.
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