Sunday, February 9, 2014

Cops, Preachers, and Grace

"When will I ever learn that Christ's kingdom is upside down."--Ellis

This morning, I saw a Birmingham policeman at Starbucks and offered to buy his coffee.  Being a policeman in Birmingham is dangerous and probably often thankless.  He declined.  After he declined, I got my coffee and then approached him.  I told him:  "I'm so thankful for cops.  My uncle was a cop, and my father (his brother) was a preacher.  I've always thought that the two toughest jobs are being a cop and a preacher, because you have to deal with people all of the time."

Sadly, once again, I said the wrong thing.  I'm always doing that.  I'm wired to do that.  While what I said was true, it wasn't life-giving.  It left him right where he was having to deal with difficult people in a job that our society no longer esteems.  Debbie is always telling me that I'm naturally critical, and she's right.  I first see what's wrong with a situation.  Once upon a time, I never got beyond what's wrong with the world.  Thanks to my many truly Christian friends, and God working through them, I now see what's right with the world in difficult situations.

I never heard my father grouse about being a preacher.  In fact, he seemed to dearly love his job of ministering to and loving others.  Certainly, he loved his last job when he was the chaplain at Partlow, the state school for those who were mentally challenged, e.g., Downs Syndrome, etc.

The same with my uncle.  I never heard him complain about being a policeman.  In fact, he must have loved his job, because those on the force called him "Papa Bear."  You don't get a nickname like that unless you are seen as being a benevolent person.

So, my father and my uncle understood that they were fortunate to be able to deal with people daily.  They were fortunate to have servant-type jobs.  They were blessed in ways that I am only able to grasp in a small way as an attorney.

They were, and are, members of Christ's kingdom--one in which the true riches are found not in high-paying jobs, but in jobs where love, care, and even protection are bestowed upon the "least of these."

This is what I should have said to the Birmingham policeman.

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