Jesus called them “walking graves.” They say all the “right things.” Reverent platitudes roll off their tongues but when it comes time to put their faith to a test, to do what they tell you and I WE need to do, they scurry into the woodwork like roaches exposed to the light. Maybe you know someone like them.

I walked into the grocery store last. There’s a foyer of sorts where they store the grocery carts. Standing off to the side, struggling with a three wheeled bike, was a young lady. She was trying to get on her bike, turn it around and head for home. You could tell she’d been struggling for a while because sweat was pouring down her face. As people walked out of the store she’d ask them for help. I recognized a couple of those people. They sit in church with me every Sunday. They sing loud, they shout “amen,” and are quick to point out everyone else’s sins and shortcomings and why I’m going to rot in hell for what I believe. As the young lady asked for assistance they sped up, moving quickly towards the parking lot. One little boy asked his mom if they should help. She told him they were in a hurry and yanked him away. As I watched this unfold I walked over and asked if she needed some help. She smiled, brushed her hair out of her eyes and asked me to hold the bike steady so she could climb on the seat. She had a difficult time talking and her gait was stiff but between the two of us we figured out a way to get her on her bike. She couldn’t get her legs over the bar in the middle of the bike. As she struggled, I made a couple of suggestions and in a few minutes she was ready to roll. While I was assisting her two employees asked me to hurry up so they could move the carts out of the way. No one, I mean no one, made a move to help.

Jesus called them “walking graves.” They say all the “right things.” Reverent platitudes roll off their tongues but when it comes time to put their faith to a test, to do what they tell you and I WE need to do, they scurry into the woodwork like roaches exposed to the light. Maybe you know someone like them.

When I was a freshman in high school there was a young man in my home room everyone made fun of. While the rest of us had started to mature physically, he hadn’t. His voice was high pitched and he had a youthful chubbiness about him. He was teased mercilessly. The day after school finished for summer he walked into his basement and hung himself.

I never teased him. Quite the contrary, I stayed as far away from him as I could. When he was tripped in the hall I laughed. When people squashed his lunch I giggled. I’d walk real slow as we approached the bus stop. I didn’t want to be put in the same group as him. When I found out he had killed himself I didn’t really react one way or the other. It wasn’t until I was in college that I started thinking about him or rather my behavior towards him. In a nutshell, I wasn’t proud. I found his grave and every time I am in Milwaukee, I stop by for a visit. It’s a painful reminder to me that my inaction was a harmful as all the teasing. Understand me; I am not one of those folks who believe he can save the world. I don’t know if my actions would have made a difference or not, but ya know what? We’ll never know.

God puts angels in our paths each day and those angels, whether they appeal to our private notion of what’s right or wrong give us an opportunity to share some of our joy, our peace and our love. They are not always size zeros or 28 inch waists with rippling muscles. They have trouble getting on their bikes or can’t quite seem to get the hang of making friends, but they are angels. They are our gifts from God Many of us utilize personal trainers to help us reach our fitness goals. Yesterday, I believe I was given the opportunity to “train” and practice what I really believe.

“Love one another as I have loved you.” Unfortunately, I often reconstruct that line to read “Love one another as long as you live where I do, believe what I believe and think what I think. If you do, then I love you.”

In our desire and zeal to become fit and nutritious we leave out the most important part. It’s the part where we nourish our spirits and souls.

Namaste