As the thoughts raced through my head, I got antsier and antsier, until I yelled over the counter, “Hey, I know this is the fourth time I’ve asked, but it’s not just a party I’m going to! I’m heading-up a project at the Men’s Shelter and I was supposed to be there 2 minutes ago; this has taken 40 minutes longer than you said it would!” I would like to say that I asked this in a calm, pastoral voice, but we will just say it was not my best moment.
Throwing the chicken in the car, I slammed on the gas and sped towards the shelter. Already 2 minutes late, I swerved between traffic to try to make up for lost time. I veered into the handicap parking spot for quick access to the shelter, jumped out of the car, and apologized to the Covenant volunteers who had already arrived. Though several volunteers were already waiting outside, they were not upset at all - but that did not matter to me; I was disappointed that I had not done my best job. Harried and frustrated in my planning, I entered the Men’s Shelter with a high blood pressure, wondering why I had not been smart enough to ask somebody else to pick-up the chicken. I didn’t greet the men at the shelter immediately, but set about the task of organizing volunteers to set-up the buffet line and chairs. It was 15 minutes before I even took time to really lift my head and notice the scene that was unfolding before my eyes. When I did finally pay attention to what I saw going on around me, you will not believe what I saw…
It was the kingdom of God, right there in the Men’s Shelter. Plates were piled high with hot chicken, handfuls of chips, and homemade dips. Volunteers were taking drink orders, and serving men who had likely not had the privilege of actually ordering their food and having it served to them for a long time. The wealthy and poor sat together, sharing stories and enjoying time spent together. Laughter and spirited shouts rang through the room, as people cheered on their own team. People I knew from Covenant and the streets of Charlotte mixed together in this beautiful array of humanity. It was a sodium-packed communion meal in which all people were welcome to the table, and what a beautiful table it was. We did not need the word proclaimed, because the God’s Word was embodied all around us, and yet, one of the men that I had come to know through my work at Urban Ministry came up to me to give the benediction. “You know what,” he said to me, “God isn’t always present at the shelter, but Jesus is here tonight.”
May we also find Jesus in the hustle and bustle of our lives, and see the kingdom of God in those unexpected holy moments.
