Discipleship

The parson, at the explicit instruction of Ms. Parson, had carried the necessary ingredients to the church, chopped, peeled. sliced and completed all the necessary tasks prelude to combining everything into a large pot with the appropriate amount of stock to be transformed into the main course for the church’s Monday Soup Kitchen.

With the arrival in the late afternoon of the volunteers, the cornbread, peach cobbler, tea and coffee were prepared, and all was ready for the hungry. At the appointed hour they came. The usual occupants of the tables were there, slurping the food down with eagerness. The children of the hungry, having an advantage over their parents of a school lunch, feasted more quickly and soon were romping across the church grounds with Charlie Brown, the parson’s faithful canine companion, at their side.

Suddenly into the Fellowship Hall came church members who did not usually appear for the Monday soup ministry. The parson watched them from the table were he sat with Sharon who was trying to hit him up for money to purchase medicine which the parson had funded the previous week. They headed straight for the kitchen. In a short while they exited the kitchen carrying bags. The parson watched them walk out the door.

Holding up his hand, the parson said to Sharon, “Hold it, Sharon, not this week. I don’t have the money this time. And I know you’ve already got your medicine. Try for a better story next week.”  The parson headed for the kitchen.

“What’s with the in and out parade of folks a few minutes ago?” he asked Ms. Parson. 

“They came to pick up meals for the homebound,” said Ms. Parson.

“Whose idea was this?” the parson asked.

“They got together after church yesterday and decided to do it,” Ms. Parson replied. 

“You didn’t instigate this?”

“Nope.”

That night, on the way home, the parson contemplated the difference in making disciples and in being a disciple.

Graphic by subscription with Clip Art [dot] Com

Comments

[MMP]

:)