It didn’t take long to realize that the heat was not working in the main building. We were given this space so that those who normally met here could be warm. No apparent thought was given to the people who were being moved from their space. But everyone in our group kept on their woolen hats and pulled their coats up around their necks to stay warm. The church was as cold inside as it was outside that day - in more ways than one.
One of our Proskuneo interns had come with me this week. She was going to teach the children a dance. They were so excited to have her with us. When the time came, we went and found another room in which to meet while the elders stayed in the sanctuary. The kids kept on their boots and hats and coats as well, but before long the fun of dancing and enjoying the time together made them warm enough to kick off their shoes and shed their coats so they could move. There was a sense of seeking justice/fairness rising up in me, but I attempted to put it down since no one else was showing any frustration. Finally I kicked off my shoes too and joined the kids. Our toes were like icicles but we laughed until we could no longer feel them!
You have heard the term “displaced people groups.” Well, I felt just a taste on Saturday. All of a sudden people started walking into the middle of our class carrying large stacks of chairs and stacking them right where we were dancing. This happened four times and then one man came in and tried to move past me. I chose not to move. I chose to stand and wait for him to speak. He finally jolted a little (perhaps he had been frozen and my gaze was a little heated?). He finally blurted out “Oh, we didn’t know we were interrupting.” I will tell you that I was not very nice. I gave him one of those “WHAT? Are you KIDDING me???” kind of looks and he backed out of the room.
But God was not showing me how ugly people can be. He was TRYING to show me the grace that persecuted people can have. As we walked back into the sanctuary to join the others, I wondered where everyone had gone. From the back I could only see six men sitting in the pews. The pastor was speaking only to them it seemed. But as I got closer my perspective changed. The rest of the congregation had taken spots on the floor down the outside wall. They were sitting with their backs to the stained glass windows letting the sun filter through and warm their souls.
I reflected on the sight before me while we waited for them to finish. The only cold hearts at church on Saturday were not found in this building, not among this group of people. And so I let my own soul thaw out a little and I sat back and listened to the words as the little girls danced. “God makes beautiful things, he makes beautiful things out of dust.”
Philippians 4:11 – “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”