Ark Valley News - Hope and hilarity

Hope and hilarity
By Chuck Terrill
Last Updated: October 11, 2018

Show the love of Christ

He looked to be a typical teenage boy. It was the first time any of us had seen him in church, and he appeared to be by himself. He came in and sat down, and it was obvious that he was out of his element.

We'll never know his story. We'll never know why he came. We do know why he left.

He left because of his Kansas City Royals baseball cap. A deacon was sitting behind the boy, and during the praise and worship time, leaned forward and demanded rather gruffly, "Please remove your hat."

A few minutes later, during the pastoral prayer, the deacon leaned forward again and hissed, "I said, remove your hat!"

The teen turned around and pleaded with the deacon, "I really don't want to take off my cap. Maybe I should just leave."

"You don't need to leave," said the deacon. "Just take off that hat!"

When the boy turned and was facing the front again, the deacon reached forward and snatched off the boy's hat. He dropped it into the young man's lap.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" asked the deacon.

When the boy turned around to look at his tormenter, everyone near the spectacle noticed the ashy paleness of the bald-headed boy's skull. A nasty scar began a lightning-streak path from just above the boy's left eye and arced its way around to just above his right ear.

The boy jammed his ball cap back on his disfigured head and got up and left. The preacher was just beginning his sermon on "The Love of Christ."

We don't know who that boy was. We will probably never know him. He might have been blessed by hearing a message about the love of Christ. It's a sermon we all need to hear.

The love of Christ extends to all. The love of Christ encourages us all. The love of Christ energizes all. The love of Christ is eternal.

Sometimes we allow the traditions of men to hinder us from loving people with the love of Christ. Please, don't let that happen.

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that

is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17)

Chuck Terrill is pastor of Valley Center Christian Church. Reach him at chuck@vcchristian.church or at 755-1233.