Angels Unaware
On Wednesday evenings at our church I am leading in a study of the last chapters of the epistles of the New Testament. A scripture we considered tonight states: "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." - Hebrews 13:2 (NIV). I explained that the writer, most likely, had in mind stories from the Old Testament of visits by angels, including encounters by Abraham, Gideon, and Manoah. And then I asked the small group if anyone had an angel encounter they would like to share. One man told of a miraculous escape from injury in a terrible auto crash, being convinced that a divine presence kept him from being thrown from the car. Another spoke of her "angelic mother", not exactly what I was looking for.
It was a nice little study. We dismissed, and visited for a while.
A teenager told me there was a strange man at the door of the church wanting to speak with me. I walked out to see a rather dishevelled and dirty-looking guy wearing a baseball cap. We talked for a bit. I've heard his story before; the details will vary, but it always involves hard luck and a plea for help. He told me he was a master plumber who had gotten a bum check for his last job, totalling $1600. His truck was broken. His wife died of cancer two years ago. And, his 13-year-old son had told him he would not go back to school because he had no clean clothes.
I told the man that we channel our benevolence funds through the Hands of Christ, a local ministry, and he would have to go to them for help. Then he asked if I had some money to loan; I told him it was our policy never to give out cash. We were at an impasse.
I said, "I tell you what- I'll give you a ride home, and we will pick up some groceries along the way." He hung around while I locked up the church. Then he and I jumped in the car and headed for the store. And, we talked. I found out this man, early in the day, had left home and just started walking. He walked, and walked, and finally ended up at my church just as services were dismissed. He seemed articulate, sincere, and gentle.
I got him $35 in groceries, gave him $20 to do his laundry, and a ride home. His home was humble at best. He said he would pay me back, and I told him to just pass it on to someone else in need. I offered some advice, encouraged him to give me a call tomorrow and we would see about hooking him up with some more substantial help. We stood on his porch as I prayed for him. I told him, "James, I love you. And I'm going to be quite disappointed if I never see you again." He was grateful, and misty-eyed.
He could be a liar and a user.
He could be a decent guy, just down and out.
He is a person of worth, made in the image of God.
And, he could be an angel.
09.27.06 (10:00 pm) [
edit]
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (7:14 pm)
Wonderful post. Maybe he's all of the above.
posted by:
mimi (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (7:18 pm)
I absolutely believe that there are angels posing as people all around us! Great post.
xoxox
posted by:
kurtmaddox (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (8:08 pm)
He could be a fellow human being who was very generously and kindly shown true compassion from a truly compassionate human being :-)
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (8:13 pm)
Reply to: surrogate
I think you have made a great statement. Most persons are such a complicated mixture of good and not-so-good. What I am thinking about is how often I dismiss such a person without even considering that he/she is most probably an "angel unaware".
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (8:14 pm)
Reply to: mimi
Interesting. So, you take this matter most literally. I believe in heaven these matters will be revealed to us. Perhaps we will all be surprised at the presence of the supernatural in our daily lives.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (8:15 pm)
Reply to: kurtmaddox
I do believe he was/is a human being. I am writing metaphorically. However, you never know.....
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (8:28 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave I can only speak for myself on that count... thinking for a sec... what if I too, like anyone else, perhaps, is all of the above? If so, I know damn well that I'm unaware of my own partial angel status - as would be anyone else who ever met me! Maybe that part of us is so very well disguised, we don't even know it ourselves!
Or maybe this comment is so full of sh*t, it ought be completely ignored.
Want proof of me being an unaware Angel, if perchance I "are" one? Last night I wrote a long long comment on your post making all kinds of suggestions about the names you could use to replace "breast" in your scripture reading. Three paragraphs of slang terms and ribald hilarity... and just when I was about to hit "post comment," I decided I ought to run spell check, and as I did that? -I accidentally closed my browser window, killing the whole damn thing. Maybe that was the "unaware angel" inside me kicking in... Or... see the previous paragraph.
posted by:
seochris (
reply)
post date:
09.27.06 (8:48 pm)
seochris
But this is not atleast acceptable to me that you tell everyone exactly everything what you have done for others for eg. Listing the help in dollars given to him in the form of groceries. I hate this pharisee nature.
Well you did a good work pastor and I belive he is a human being just like you and me. If an angel the God bless you.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (6:38 am)
Reply to: surrogate
My vocabulary arsenal could use a list of appropriate synonymns for "breasts", and I am sure you could supply lots of colorful terms.
I can rememer a time when I wrote a scathing and negative reply to a fellow blogger, and when I sought to send it, it disappeared into netherland. As I sat there staring at the blank screen, it occurred to me that it was probably good that my thoughts were never read by others. Sometimes just writing it down serves to take care of matters, and then it is best that no one read the words.
Hooters?
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (6:47 am)
Reply to: seochris
So you think I'm a Pharisee?
Perhaps I am, but at least allow me to offer a defense!
I don't think God is impressed by measly little $55, and you should not be either. I think of the story of "The Widow's Mite" in LUke 21. Jesus was impressed as she gave two cents. Why? Because she did not give our of her abundance, like the surrounding Pharisees, but she gave all she had. My gift to this man was out of my abundance. It was not sacrificial.
The point of the account is not how much I gave. Such is incidental, not even necessary for the story. And you will have to either trust me, or not, when I seek to assure you that I'm not trying to earn "brownie points" from fellow bloggers by telling the story. I'll not earn any accolades from God by giving $55. Instead, I was trying to pass along how fitting was the occasion of this man coming my way at the very same time we were studying about angels unaware. The timing was highly unusual. And, this time, I at least recognized the hand of God in the matter. My intent is to encourage others to be looking out for needful people who come their ways, and understand such does not happen by accident.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (6:49 am)
Reply to: LadyG
Do you think, sometimes, circumstance occur in our lives as tests from God? I do.
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (9:49 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
Listen you Pharisee (hey, that was fun! I always wanted to call someone a Pharisee) I kind of like "hooters," but my favorite from my just post-pubescent and early adolescent days, (and the one I closed my now lost but brilliantly written comment with, was) "bodacious ta-tas." As is, "Wow, did you see that chick who just walked by? She had some..." You get the idea.
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (11:33 am)
Nice post. For a Pharisee. heh
Do angels eat people food. Angel food cake perhaps?
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (1:31 pm)
Reply to: surrogate
As I drive across state to my mom's house every month, I pass by a church named Mamry Baptist Church. I'm sorry, but that is just not a good name. It makes me think of, emm... mammory glands, and the next thing you know I'm wanting hotwings at Hooters. Yeah, that's right, that's the only reason I would go there.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (1:33 pm)
Reply to: bawdy
From the best I can understand from the Bible, angels miss out on some great things. They don't eat, and they don't have sex- since they are neither male nor female. I'm glad that, in the afterlife, I will not be an angel.
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (1:45 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
I've never known you to lie so blatently. We both know the wings aren't that great there.
We go for the french fries.
posted by:
chrisflea (
reply)
post date:
09.28.06 (10:13 pm)
I am glad that you did those things for him. There have been times when I lead a Bible study or learn something that greatly effects my heart and then an oppertunity arrises to do it and I don't. Out of fear, of man, others opinions things like that and then I feel very guilty. *sigh*
Anyways good job.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
09.29.06 (4:57 am)
Reply to: chrisflea
Good point.
The teachings of Jesus are so very much about doing, as opposed to just believing.
posted by:
danielmacdonald (
reply)
post date:
09.29.06 (8:02 pm)
she looks like a little devil!! she a cutie Dave. I am sure she is your girl your granddaughter.
posted by:
lorischuster (
reply)
post date:
10.01.06 (6:01 pm)
I love a pastor who practices what he preaches. :) Nice story. So glad you didn't just give him the 'company line' and let it go. A lot of people worry about getting taken by someone who is telling them a story. It's happened to me quite often as our studio is down the street from a mission and people need money to 'get a bus out of town'. Then we'll see them the next day. My philosophy is that i will give them what I can and if someone wants to take advantage of me then shame on them...what is important is that my heart to be in the right place. PS: I see a lot of modern day pharisees--but I certainly don't see you among them.
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
10.02.06 (6:02 am)
Reply to: lorischuster
But I LIKED calling Dave a Pharisee - even though he's about as far from representing someone who has the requisite characteristics as anyone I know.
But Nooooo. Now you've spoiled it. (Slinks away, moping.)
posted by:
lorischuster (
reply)
post date:
10.02.06 (7:10 am)
Reply to: surrogate
I can't stand to see you moping. how 'bout we find a new name to call Pastor Dave???
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
10.02.06 (7:13 am)
Reply to: lorischuster
Pretty darn sure he knew I was kidding... (I just grabbed it from a comment someone else had made more seriously. He's a friend.)
posted by:
lorischuster (
reply)
post date:
10.02.06 (7:24 am)
Surrogate...I KNOW that...I was joking. :)
posted by:
inkspector (
reply)
post date:
10.02.06 (2:54 pm)
Very nice story.
I have that Angel saying on a rubber stamp. It is my favorite.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.03.06 (6:54 am)
Reply to: inkspector
It's a scripture verse, in reference to several Old Testament accounts where angels actually show up to intervene in human affairs. The New Testament also gives many such accounts. Many wonder if angels come along today, and I know sensible people who give credible accounts of visits by angels. But, in this particular story, I'm writing figuratively.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.03.06 (6:59 am)
Reply to: lorischuster
I think, if we are going to define a person, we should do so according to trends of life, and not with particular events. There have been times when I certainly have played the part of the Pharisee. But I'd like to think the trend of my life shows something better.
I try to remember this philosophy especially when somebody messes up bigtime. Such person does not deserve to be forever defined by that one indiscretion. But, if it is a trend, then watch out.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
10.03.06 (7:00 am)
Reply to: danielmacdonald
Ah, but a cute little devil.
