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 Bro.
John had made a dozen calls, in a wide territory, trying to sell
insurance. The day was hot, traffic was heavy, and he barely
made it home in time to take a quick shower, grab a bite to eat,
and get to the meeting. He had hoped to have time to check his
boat, as he planned to leave the next morning for a vacation,
and he was somewhat irked at having to lose that two hours of
cool evening time. But he taught the adult men’s class, and he
just had to make one service of the meeting before leaving town.
Sist.
Jane works down-town, and had to ask the boss to let her off a
bit early so she could get her hair fixed. She barely got home
in time to heat a few T.V. dinners for the children. She took a
cup of coffee to her room, and dressed while they were eating.
She only saw them briefly — to argue with the boy about the
credit card he wanted to use for his “date” that night, and
to “have it out” with the girl about the weird-o costume she
wanted to wear. (The girl got her way.) By now, Jane had a
terrific headache, and only went to the meeting because John
insisted he should not go alone.
The
girl finally got her eyes ”on” and kept her parents waiting
in the car while she changed beads five or six times — trying
to make up her mind. They had to race to the church building,
and the girl pouted all the way about her brother getting the
car and not having to go to church, and he was only two years
older, etc.
They
barely made it in time — were late by the clock, but the song
leader was late in starting. He had tarried in the parking lot
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trying to make a car deal with another
member, and had to make his song selections under last-minute
pressure. Oh well, he could think the car-deal over more fully
after the preaching started.
The
local preacher had been out all day selling mutual funds
certificates, and was peeved that his wife had forgotten to tell
him he was supposed to pick up old sist. Jones. Such failures
hurt his public image. But his wife taught school, and had had a
parent-teacher meeting that afternoon; and had barely gotten
home in time to freshen up a bit and get to the meeting. She had
misplaced the hurriedly taken note about sist. Jones — and
anyhow, “that was in his department, it was not her job.”
So,
they sang a few songs, and called on someone for prayer; then
the local preacher welcomed a few visitors, made the usual
apologies for the small percentage of members present — “of
course, we have had some sickness” — and the visiting
evangelist took the floor and looked at his targets. 130/150
tired. business—harried people, “up-tight” and preoccupied
with scores of problems — all of them material. He must
capture their attention, focus it upon unfamiliar subjects, lead
them to reason and draw conclusions that, put into practice,
would change their whole lives.
These
are not BAD people — they do show some interest by their
presence, and a few will listen, meditate, and study — and God
will dwell in them. BUT MOST OF US ARE TOO BUSY FOR GOD!!
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