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The Homeless Man

It was a stiflingly hot day that Sunday in 2005. Still, Alan felt the urge to go to the church as he was feeling somewhat despondent. He drove his car to the Church and the first thing he noticed was that the parking lot was beginning to fill up quickly. When he had parked his car and was making his way to the Church proper, he noticed a man by the side of the Church. He was lying down, as if asleep. He was wearing a long trench coat, almost in shreds. The dirty hat on his head was pulled down low so as to shield his eyes. The tattered shoes on his feet looked too small and where there were holes, his toes stuck out. There was a smell emanating from this man which was decidedly horrid.

Alan assumed he was homeless and he thought to himself, Why doesn't the Church do something about this man? They should not allow such people to stay here. It's terrible. This is a place of worship.

Though he felt an initial pang of regret at making such a negative statement, Alan was pleased when he saw the look on the other worshippers' faces, which all mirrored his sentiments. He smiled at them and together they made their way into the Church.

Uncharacteristically, there was a delay in the commencement of worship that day. As time wore on, people began to whisper and without a doubt, their single most important topic of conversation was about the smelly man still lying down outside the doors of the Church.

Then, the proceedings started and surprisingly, the person who usually led the proceedings, the Pastor, was still absent. Still, the worshippers carried on. When the time came for the Pastor to deliver his sermon, there was still no one there.

Alan could see that people were beginning to fidget and get somewhat tetchy. They were worried and if the truth be know, so was he. Had something untoward happened to the Pastor? Was he all right? Any number of questions entered their thoughts.

Then, out of the blue, the homeless man entered the Church and made his way to the pulpit. Everyone, though offended by the smell, was somewhat stunned by the audacity this man showed. There was an element of pride in his stride. Not a soul seemed to stop this man from disgracing the Church and its sacred artifacts. People whispered and made faces.

When he reached the pulpit, this man took off his trench coat and hat.

And there was a huge gasp from the members of the congregation. The homeless man was none other than their very own Pastor. 

No one said a word.

The Pastor laid his hand out and said, in the most calm of voices, "Dear brothers and sisters,  I don't think I have to tell you what I am talking about today. If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

Aneeta Sundararaj is the editor-in-chief of 'How To Tell A Great Story' (http://www.howtotellagreatstory.com ).