This is a true story. 🙂
One Sunday, arriving a bit early at church, we saw a bum sleeping right on the front lawn, cap pulled over his face, booze bottles scattered around.
We walked past him into church. “We have to say something to that guy,” I told my husband. “He’s sleeping, he probably has a hangover,” he answered. “He needs some breakfast, go ask him if he’s hungry,” I said. Just then another guy came into church.
“Did you see the homeless guy?” he asked. “Yeah-he’s probably hungry,” I said, “Go ask him if he’s hungry.” The men went outside for awhile and came in smiling. “Is the guy O.K.?” I asked. “You’ll see,” they replied. “What do you mean, I’ll see? Did you ask him if he’s hungry?” “Just wait a few minutes,” they said smiling, “You’ll see.”
Other people arrived at church, and some were scandalized by the drunk man on the lawn. An elder started the service and right in the middle of the second song, the bum walked up the aisle, climbed up on stage, took off his cap and started speaking Jesus’ words from Matthew 25:
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
I don’t think the pastor said much after that. I don’t think he needed to.
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