I Saw Jesus Yesterday (Mt 12:1-8)

I saw Jesus yesterday.  Here in Northeast Louisiana in a small town, that sits under a rusting mountain of a papermill that was once the life blood of the town. Mostly, what is left is smaller businesses and outside of town rows of cotton, soybeans, and corn.  The stop lights on the main roads, Walmart, and some chain restaurants are why people stop if your not from the community or not coming to one of the festivals that every now and then brings the outside to this town.  It is a place where those not from this part of the world usually think hatred, bigotry, and intolerance only exists.  I saw Jesus yesterday.

Jesus told the Pharisees that something greater than the temple is here, "I desire mercy not sacrifice"  This is where I saw Jesus.  I drove up to a local restaurant to eat lunch with my wife, as I got out of my car and walk to my wife's car to meet her, I notice two young men walk out of the restaurant and get into their car.  They were well dressed in shorts, t-shirts, and baseball caps.  After they left, an elderly woman, old enough that her walk was a shuffle, her hair piled on top of her head in a style from 40 years ago, walked out the  door.  She stopped at the edge of the entry walk, looking down at the 8-9 inch step down to the parking lot.  

I was a parking lot away; but, I saw Jesus.  

The two young men who had left earlier, stopped their car next to the entrance of the restaurant and the passenger got out and asked "Ma'am, would you like some help."  He held out his arm, muscled and tattooed for her to take.

The elderly lady, reached out with her pale white hand that was the map of her life in blue veins and liver spots and placed it on the inked and muscular forearm of a young black man who smiled down at her.  I saw Jesus in his smile.  I saw Jesus, as she smiled back.  I saw Jesus in the young man who waited patently in the car as his friend showed mercy to a stranger.

I heard the president say to the world that he was Trayvon Martin.  That all young African American men are victims of prejudice.  Yet, I also remember when what I saw in that parking lot would not have happened.

If George Zimmerman had seen Jesus in Trayvon Martin or Trayvon had seen Jesus in George would we be talking about these two men.  I do not know if either knew God or had a relationship with Jesus.  Many people who speak hate and violence often do it doe God or in Jesus's name. 

Jesus says there is more to the temple, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." This is what should be talked about around the table and among us.  We should talk about the people who express the mercy that Jesus desires, when people see Jesus in each other.