Cannon Fodder and Fourth Day

   

In early 2011 I received a telephone call on a Sunday evening from Will Dunn, the Immediate Past Community Lay Director, asking me if I would agree to run for the Dallas Emmaus Community Board of Directors. My internal reaction was "Whoa, I have to think about this," but what I said to Will was "I guess you need cannon fodder again."  I stood for election in 2009 and was not successful. In ancient warfare, the generals always sent in large numbers of expendable peasants who were largely untrained and often unarmed, to keep the enemy's skilled soldiers busy until the more trained and equipped soldiers could engage. Having lost the election once I felt like cannon fodder for the other candidates. Each year, the DEC elects two men and two women from four candidates of each gender. What a change it is in my life that I agreed to run again. There was a time when I would have been intimidated or easily discouraged, not wanting to risk being that public if unsuccessful. It would have been far from my comfort zone.

I attribute that change and others to having gone on my Walk, number 186, in February 2005 at Lake Lavon. God does not call us to be timid (2 Timothy 1:7). He calls us to be bold and risk takers to advance his Kingdom.  Another remarkable turn of events is that last year, I sang in my church's Men's Chorus.  About three years ago, our men's group began the chorus, singing in all three services about once a quarter to give the Sanctuary Choir a break.  Other guys would encourage me to join and my standard quip was "I can't afford the pay cut. The music director sends me big checks to stay away!"  Last year, I stood on the risers with 90 plus other men and sang in public.  Granted they strategically placed me in the middle of a group of ringers, regular choir guys, to drown me out but I sang for Him in public, joyfully if ineptly. More evidence that the Fourth Day since the Walk has enbolded me in service and expanded my comfort zone, which I define as the willingness to be in His service on His terms.  One cannot be a true servant if he or she always demands to be on their own terms or never taking a risk, never giving up control. (Isaiah 12:2).

Has Emmaus made me perfect? Absolutely not!  You need only consult with Darcy, my loving bride of forty plus years, to hear my failings in detail. Please don't ask the Cornerstone Disciples, my reunion brothers. I sincerely believe that those guys would do anything in the world for me, and I for them, short of an illegal or immoral act and that might even be a possibility.  But we are quick to keep each other in line if we forget how fallible we are.  I once heard Reverend Milton Gutierrez describe himself during an Emmaus talk with an acronym - WIP(GATWMY) - or something like that. If I were better organized (One of my other imperfections) I could find the notes and get the exact letters. The gist of it is: WORK IN PROGRESS - GOD AIN'T THROUGH WITH ME YET. I encourage you to work to let go and let God make you bold, fearless, compassionate and persevering in your Fourth Day. It may never be easy, probably won't always be comfortable and will involve a lot of sweat and tears, but what could be better than to be in His service with our fellow fallible, but perfecting, servants?  We are all works in progress.  

 

 

The Emmaus scripture is Luke 24:13-35, The Road to Emmaus story.  Most of us have heard about Cleopas and his companion pilgrim numerous times - I know it is told at least twice on a Walk weekend.  This story is told of something that is found - as the two pilgrims are walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus they encounter a stranger that we learn is the Risen Christ, and they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.  These pilgrims find Christ and then rush back to the city to share the great news of what had happened to them on the road.  Yes, this scripture is the basis for the Walk experience, and we know it and love it for all its complexities and nuances.  But do you know what the scripture focus of a Chrysalis Flight might be?  Here's a hint . . . the talk is affectionately called "The Prodigal" talk.  Again, Luke's writing is used to touch our hearts and show us agape love. 

 

In the 15^th Chapter of Luke there are three parables stories of lost things -- a lost coin, a lost sheep, and a lost son.   In each story we learn that something of great value is lost, the lost thing matters so much that it warrants being searched for or watched for, and when the coin and sheep are found, and the son returns, there is great rejoicing.  So what is Jesus telling us in these stories?  George G. Hunter, III states in his book entitled How to Reach Secular People that it is possible that Jesus is telling us that the lost, the defenseless, and the rebellious, matter so much to God that He wants us to search them out and bring them to Him.  Agape love flows from the ultimate value of everyone - forgotten people, lost people, wandering people, up-and-outers, down-and-outers - all people.  The highest value is to love them, serve them, and reach them.   

 

In the Parable of the Lost Son as the story is told, the younger brother took his inheritance, went off to the big city and squandered it on sinful living.  Having hit bottom, unable to provide for himself any longer, he finds his way home.  His father saw him coming down the road and ran out to meet him - providing a banquet to celebrate his return.  Yes, we know all that.  And then we turn to the elder brother - let's pick up with what scripture says at this point.

 

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.  'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'  

 

"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'  

 

"'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"  

 

Ever noticed that the story ends with the father still outside, still waiting for a son to come home - to celebrate and be glad?  May we always be searching for ways to reach people, to love them, to serve them, to care for them, and to lead them to celebrate how much God loves them.  Let's step outside. . .