PENTECOST V
July 10, 2022
“Stones and Ponds”
You are the salt of the earth . . . You are the light of the world . . . . You are the stone thrown into a pond.
What ???? Just a minute, — here we are. reading the encouraging words of Jesus as he spoke to his followers, feeling pretty special and important to the whole world, when suddenly a stone is thrown! It’s like hearing a harsh, discordant note blasting through a lovely piece of music. This little phrase is so far out of sync with the other “you are’s” it’s downright disrespectful. But let’s toss this word picture around, and we may feel differently.
Whether you had childhood experiences around lakes, ponds, or just puddles, at some time you probably tossed a little pebble or a chunky rock in to see the splash and watch the movement of the water. It can be almost hypnotic as you try to follow where those ripples go, as they widen and stretch out to the edge.
If you’ve ever had someone tell you that a kindness, a helping hand, a friendly word made a real, positive difference to that person, that’s your stone and the ripples it made. At the time, you may not have considered what you said or did to be meaningful; you probably just reached out hoping to be of help, thinking it couldn’t hurt. What seems small or insignificant to you as you go about your day can be like a life preserver tossed to a person struggling in deep water.
The history of our faith is filled with men and women who were salt, light, and stones. The apostles and early church leaders were not specifically educated or trained to preach and teach the message of love and forgiveness of Jesus. But they were given Jesus’ promise to always be with them, and the assurance that the Holy Spirit would support and inspire their work. Martin Luther preached, taught, wrote, and translated in his mission to make God’s Word accessible to all people. Upon establishing towns, the early settlers in this country started congregations and built churches and schools (often the same building), depending on ministers who went from place to place providing pastoral care.
None of our ancestors could predict if the salt would retain its flavor, if the light would continue to shine, or if the ripples from the stone would have any effect. But here we are today, God’s called people, seeking ways to serve and care for those in need, trusting that we will be able to give witness through what we do.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Mathew 25:35-36)
Here are Christ’s own words, and this is how we tell the world who — and whose — we are, as food, water, welcome, and healing are offered in his name. So whether we toss a dinky little pebble into a puddle or a big rock into a lake, the ripples will go out, and we can only wonder what they’ll touch.
Your stone-throwing friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers