This reminds me of a sermon I heard about once. Not really a sermon but a dramatization. It’s anecdotal bc I didn’t see it but was told about it by a pastor who heard about this. He said he had been preaching on Mathew 25. Specifically the parable about the king who tells the subjects away from me. You did not feed me when hungry. Give me drink when thirsty.
So the preacher preaches. Takes the next week off. For two weeks he doesn’t shave or shower. Finds old clothes and keeps them in his trash for two weeks. Goes out Sunday morning and runs dirt all over his hair face and hands. Gets dressed in the smelly filthy clothes and pulls a hoodie down over his unshaven face. Prior to service he goes to the front steps and w a cup to beg for change. He gets in peoples bubbles to make the unconfortable. Just grunts doesn’t ever make eye contact or look up. Sometimes lays across the steps. Any way service starts and it’s time for him as pastor to walk in and take the pulpit. But this Sunday he comes in the front door. Hoodie down head down. As he walks down the center aisle he starts peeling the layers of filthy smelly clothes keeping his head down. The hoodie was under a jacket and some oversized tshirts. He gets to the front, walks up to the sop step of the stage and sits down. Raises his head and removes the hood to his sweatshirt. They now know their pastor was the beggar. He dumps the cup on the ground for dramatic effect to reveal a little more than a dollar in change.
Silence from the entire sanctuary. He opens his Bible to Mathew 25 v42. Reads 42-45. Closes his Bible. Stands up and walks back out the center aisle. When he gets to the back doors of the sanctuary. He opens a door doesn’t look back and shouts “See you next Sunday.” Gets in his car and goes home.
Says he doesn’t know what happened after he left, but in the months and year that followed their pantry, local food/clothing outreach and prison ministry saw more growth than ever before in his ministry. And all bc of a sermon wo a word. He felt more kindness from the congregation.
Your post made me think of this bc our actions taking religion out of it reveal our heart. Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or atheist. We can spout spiritual words or kind words but our actions are what tell people who we are.
