"Well...the church helps people, right?"

Last week, our church experienced a whirlwind week as we sought to help a twenty year old who had walked in off the street. He had only the clothes on his back. No ID, no bags. He hadn't eaten in two days and he'd been living in the woods behind the church. Being a middle-class, suburban church off the beaten path, we don't have this situation come up too often. We talked with him for awhile and slowly began to learn his story. We found out that his father and stepmother had moved to Oregon and left him here with no place to live. It was a long and complicated family history, full of pain and difficult times. In the end, however, this troubled twenty year old found himself a modern-day Prodigal Son. He talked to his father who was willing to accept him back into his life. We bought him a bus ticket to Oregon--three long days of travel. We got him some things to help him along on his journey. We gave him some food and clothing.

As I was talking to him a few hours before he left, he told me that he had never before in his life experienced the kindness he had felt in the last few days. That really struck me. We had just done what we could, following God's lead. But our efforts were filled with more love than he had ever experienced. His words made me grateful for having grown up in a loving, caring family. Grateful to work in such a loving and grace-filled church. Thankful for the food I have to eat and the shelter over my bed each night.

As our Pastor was talking with him, he answered the question of why he'd come into our church in the first place. He answered "Well...the church helps people, right?" As our Pastor shared this in his Sunday sermon, we were all left a bit speechless. We were struck by the fact that in a small way we were able to see God at work through us. We were struck by the fact that a life of such sadness had come into our midst and found comfort between our walls.

We were also struck by his words. The church helps people. I think we all took a step back and thought about whether or not we are in fact helping people every day in the church. Have we gotten ourselves so worked up over the paint colors or the new chairs that we've forgotten what the church is truly about?

The church helps people....

right?