Brennan Manning was an evangelist and a writer. He continuously challenged churches to practice the love and grace of Jesus in their ministry. He used a story from Stephen Covey to make his point. Covey was riding the subway in New York City. There were very few passengers. Most were reading or dozing. Covey was deep into a book when a man, accompanied by three very young children, got on board. The kids ran up and down the aisle. They were loud, obnoxious, screaming, wrestling. The father made no attempt to calm them.
Riders were nervous, anxious. Covey expected the father at any moment to restore order, calm the kids down, but instead he did nothing. Covey said, as kindly as he could, “Sir, perhaps you could restore order here by telling your children to come back and sit down.”
“I know I should do something,” the man replied. “We just came from the hospital. Their mother died an hour ago. I don’t know what to do.”
Manning reflecting on this in light of the church writes: “The heartfelt compassion that hastens forgiveness matures when we discover where our enemy cries.”
The call of the Church of Jesus Christ is to know where our enemy cries. The call of the Church of Jesus Christ is to give ourselves away in love to a world that is dying for good news.
Phillip Gulley calls this learning to cultivate a habit of kindness. John wrote two thousand years ago to the church instructing them (and us), “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”
That is a simple yet powerful word for all of us. At the end of the day the church is called to love in truth and action. We may not always agree on every theological tenet or political issue but our actions, our love, our willingness to cultivate kindness, will be more than enough to sustain our ministry for years to come.
Grace and peace to you,
-Glen
