Sabbath Day (cont.)

Trying to navigate Blogger...not easy but will be patient and persevere...

Remember...Part 1

So, this past week I visited a small store in Pleasant Hill, and was served at the counter by a boss guy, and a young guy. In my mind I was still impacted by Isaiah 58. The young guy, who was black...didn’t look happy to be working there.  While I was placing my order, I casually shared that I was going to jury duty the next day.. The boss asked, “Where at?”  I replied, “Martinez”.  (Where I live now is Martinez, a nice small city in Contra Costa County, the county seat, or headquarters.)  The boss retorted and snorted, “Well, at least it’s not in RICHMOND!”  (Reference: Bible, John 1:46, Nathanael saying of Jesus, “Nazareth! Can anything good come out of Nazareth ?”.  Richmond is another city in the County, notoriously known in the press as crime ridden, full of gangs, poor, etc.

I just laughed along, but noticed the young man’s face grow quietly angry. Was this a clue why he didn’t look like he liked working there? I left the store, conscious that I was being a “nice” and “don’t rock the boat”Asian hypocrite, by laughing along with the boss and not being truthful. Yes, my conscience told me that I was a full blown hypocrite, just the type that would more than irk Jesus.  The “little laugh” shared by me and the boss, caused a lot of damage. and Jesus was witness to it all.  The truth is, I lived and worked Richmond for 10 years.Went to Hilltop Community Church for 15 years and have many dear friends in the area. I delivered a careless stab that probably wounded the young guy, regardless of where he truly lived. Yet my heart was exposed by committing the sin of cruel racial profiling. It’s sobering, and forgive me Jesus, I want to change.

Remember,..Part 2, and Refreshed

Ironically, the next day, getting ready to go to jury duty, I realized that it was not in Martinez like I assumed, but in Richmond! Ha! God gets the last laugh on me!

I was late.  Hurrying into the courthouse entrance, I sort of noticed a table with books and leaflets, and some people standing there promoting something...

I check in, and find myself in a large room, some 100 people, all sitting row by row in stiff chairs. Dead silence....Everyone, it seems, including me, not glad to be there, though perhaps proud of doing their “civic duty”.

After brief instructions, the clerk clicks on the big screen TV, and “Undercover Boss” starts to play...a very benign “do-good” reality show that is captivating and not likely to ruffle the diverse audience in this waiting room. People snap into their “private mode”, either watching the TV, reading, or silently working remotely on their laptops. No one wants to be bothered...just left alone so they can endure the tedious wait until they are either selected or excused from jury duty.

I think, “All these people. There must be someone I can strike a conversation with, like Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well!”    I pray, “God, I’m not here by accident, but by your set purpose and design like in Acts 17:26-27.  Because my word for 2018 is “Anticipate”, I will anticipate that you will act, and I will meet someone and share my faith and all this will not be in vain.”

Half the people are called and leave to room to go to court rooms. “I can’t talk to people in here”,  I say to myself....”Everyone doesn’t want to be bothered, and it’s so quiet, the whole room can hear what our conversation will be.”

Restless, I walk outside in the hallway, where there is a row of chairs, backing up to a large picture window. There are about 4 ladies sitting there, looking approachable, not reading, etc.  I pray and think of a way to be friendly and talk to one of them.  I look out the window, and realize that the table I passed by so hurriedly are manned by Christians who are there to help encourage anybody who feels overwhelmed and has a need for prayer before going into court trials, etc.  The table has a blue banner that says “Courtside Ministries”.

Without thinking, I softly say, “That’s a really nice thing going on out there. Offering to pray with anyone who needs it before going to court.”  

A lady right near me immediately bristles up and gets really angry. “I don’t like people like that who get in your face and start talking about Jesus. They don’t belong out there!”....and so on, blah blah blah. So I say to her, “Um, they sure don’t look like they are bothering people, just standing there. And people have a choice to walk up to the table or not.  It’s encouraging and comforting.”  So then, she stands up and stomps away.

“Well, that went well,” I say to myself. “So much for that.”  Soon we are all excused and I leave.  I pass by the Courtside Ministries Table to encourage the Christians there. And a couple of them tell me how wonderful it is to help the sad people that walk by and ask for help. I find out that they also meet a couple of Tues. mornings a month right in Martinez too. We talk, and I realize maybe this is why I am here for jury duty. This may be a way to serve hurting people and do what God is calling me to do as in Isaiah 58.  I’m going to keep praying and look into this.  Time (and God) will reveal and tell....maybe...the person I was supposed to meet and talk to was Jesus.