Sep
17
2012
Take My Hand
Posted in Evangelism 6 Comments
I was in elementary school in the mid 1960’s.
A different time…a different era.
A time of separation.
I went to a private school in those days.
Everyone was very much the same.
Except for one sweet girl in my class named Renee.
I thought she was absolutely wonderful.
Her smile was large and bright and ever present!
She wore barrettes of different colors in her curly hair.
She was my friend.
She was the same as me…except for the color of her skin.
I thought she was beautiful.
Everyone talked about color in those days.
I never understood.
Who wants to have a crayon box with all the same colors in it?
Variety was the best thing.
Crayola crayons were introduced in 1903 by the Binney & Smith Company.
By 1905, there were 30 colors in a crayon box.
In 1958, there were 64 colors.
That was the size box I would have had in my desk.
Due to the civil rights movement, the color Flesh was changed to Peach in 1962.
That change brought things closer to home for me.
Children want to color their pictures.
Children have no desire to be politically correct…or even know what that means.
A child’s drawing of a face could be purple, or polka dotted with green hair!
It would still be a beautiful masterpiece to them.
Renee was my friend.
I didn’t see difference…I only saw same-ness.
Two eyes…two ears…one nose…two arms…two legs.
She ate the same things for lunch…she played tag…she liked to read.
Recess was usually in the schoolyard, which had an enormous tree in the center.
The tree had a railing around it, to protect it from children who were tempted to climb.
How I wish I knew the age of that tree.
Its trunk was massive…or maybe that is just my “little girl remembrance”.
One day, a group of us were playing some sort of game where we all had to join hands.
We were ready to get started.
Everyone grabbed the hand of the person next to them.
No one grabbed Renee’s.
I looked around…not understanding.
No words were spoken…no words needed to be said.
The actions said it all!
I will never forget the hurt in her face!
Her ever present smile…gone!
I quickly left my place and went over to her.
I grabbed her hand with my right hand.
I stuck my left hand out for someone to grab hold.
Someone did!
The two became three…the three became five…soon we had our circle.
We were ready to play.
I looked at Renee…the bright smile across her face.
Same heart…Same Creator.
A rainbow of colors…holding hands in a circle we would carry through our entire lives.
I wish things were different today.
I wish we would all remember the circle.
This story comes to mind often.
It is an old story.
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: God I thank You that I am not like other men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:9-14)
The old “better than” story.
Better because I’m the right color.
Better because I have the right job.
Better because I live in the right neighborhood.
Better because I can go to the right schools.
Not better in God’s eyes.
That kind of “better than” is all about “me”.
That kind of “better than” looks down on “you”.
All we bring to the table is our sin.
We’re not so great…when we put our “better” against God’s perfection and holiness.
We deserve punishment…but receive mercy.
Mercy…better than death…which is the wages of our sin.
Mercy…better than separation…which is the result of our sin.
Mercy…better than broken-ness…which is the consequence of our sin.
God’s “better than” is His great Mercy!
God, the Creator of me…and Renee…and everyone else in the circle.
God, the Creator of color…the Master Artist.
God, the Creator of the tree.
The railing that kept everyone out…created by us!
We break and separate and re-name and correct.
All that does is keep us broken, separate, unsure of who we are…wrong!
Only God can change a heart so that it will reach out to another.
Only God can grant mercy to a sinner.
Such gratitude!
The forgiven sinner wants to bring everyone into the Circle.
Do you know Him?
The God that is full of mercy.
The God that removes railings and barriers.
Take my hand…let me show you!
Well said, Gina. I am glad you wrote about Renee. From her point of view, there were many of us and only a few had grace within to reach out to others like her who were different from ourselves. All are worthy in the eyes of God, but in the eyes of man (and some politicians) there are those less worthy of care and concern. Equality is something we have to work at every day. The 60’s were a time of transition as we broadened our view of the world and realized how we all fit together into one whole. I would love to know where Renee is today!
Oh, Barb…so would I!
I would love to give her a hug…and see that wonderful smile again!
Perhaps, God will arrange it!
I’m glad that you remember as well…
So much is different…yet sadly so much is the same!
Gina
Behind in my reading…! It is amzing that any Christian is bigotted isn’t it.God made us all– and Jesus died for us all. AND we are to LOVE even our enemies, as well as our neighbors (and remember what Jesus said about who is my neighbor!) who are a different race– or religion!
Janna,
Isn’t it amazing what God brings to mind, from our past, to still continue to teach us and refine us?
There is no “better than”!
There is only best…perfect…sovereign…holy…HIM!
Gina
Gina,
Thank you for this morning’s reading. There were many points of “take away” for me and places to sit and think.
When I hear people tell of incidents like this and how they reached out rather than follow the collective rejection and discomfort of the crowd, what comes through is their feeling mutually sad, upset, even angry about the slight. Then when they share their action of acceptance, inclusion, affirmation, it’s like they could have done nothing else. They are not patting themselves on the back. They are telling of something that hit them deep and they would not go along with convention.
In retelling something, possibly mixed feelings come into play. We may recall something and simply be very happy about what we did, and then later we may start to doubt how unselfish or humble we are about it. God’s power and truth will help us rejoice and will help others catch what He is doing then and now.
At first, I thought the last line “Take my hand” should be “Take His hand” meaning Christ’s. But then I looked back and saw “The forgiven sinner wants to bring everyone into the Circle.”
No, I reflected. The ending’s as it should be.
M
M,
Thank you for your discernment…your wisdom…your honesty.
You are so right when you talk about “not going along with convention.”
May we have the courage to act as God would have us act.
Thank you, friend.
Gina