The Treasure of People

09/23/2018　礼拝メッセージ、エリックによります。通訳は私。音声は、こちらからどうぞ、

I want to share some stories that happened to me this week and explain how the holy spirit spoke to me through them.

The Lady with the Seahawks hat

My first treasure story involves the lady in the Seahawks hat who came in to the bank. I was dreading talking to her. When she finally came over I could tell she was agitated and she told me why. Someone had written her a bad check. She was mostly mad at the woman who wrote her the bad check.
When I started to hear her story I was moved with compassion. What I expected and the reality were two different things.
This lady mentioned since she was a Christian she knew she shouldn’t get too mad at the lady who wrote her the bad check.

The Homeless Man

Then another person came in. I really didn’t want to talk to him. Immediately he came off as somewhat combative, and he smelled too. It was almost time for me to go home so I just wanted to get the appointment done and send him away. He told me he was tired of getting fees and didn’t know very well how banks worked.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah” I said. Thinking I was demonstrating I was listening.
“You keep saying ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’. That sounds like slang.” He went on at some length with that theme.

I tried to connect with him, but my normal techniques were falling flat. I found myself speaking in tongues under my breath because things weren’t going well.

We began to connect a little, but not much.

I annoyed him more. We went round and round for a bit then he just wanted to get the account open.

Somewhere in the middle of my interaction with him something switched in my brain. I realized rather than an annoyance this gentleman brought me something of great value. I was humbled to realize he said some things that pointed out my weaknesses as a banker. No one else brought these things to my attention, but he did. The Holy Spirit worked through him in this regard.

“It was a real pleasure to meet you, Earl (not his name).” I told him.

I meant it quite sincerely.

Jesus’ approach to those of lowly estate

It goes without saying Jesus wouldn’t have had the attitude I did toward either of these people. Jesus met people where they were. He truly connected with people. We can see through the following passage he recognized the boldness and the strong emotion of the woman who entered where Jesus dined with the Pharisees.

Luke 7:36-50

“And one of the pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment. And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which one of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned unto the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”

Application

This is really an amazing story. This woman was overwhelmed with thankfulness toward Jesus. She demonstrated it not only with the costly ointment, but in the fact that she used her hair to wipe his feet. Women in that culture were forbidden to let down their hair. She was grateful for the hope that Jesus gave her. She was, as Jesus said, forgiven much, therefore she loved Jesus very much. At the end Jesus told her to go in peace. This was welcome to her because her sins were forgiven.

Notice also the contrast between the way Simon treated Jesus and how the woman did. The Pharisee didn’t even extend common courtesies to him such as washing his feet, giving him a kiss, and anointing his head with oil. Think about going to a Japanese house. The host will offer you slippers so your feet won’t be cold and generally make sure you are comfortable.

Note also the guests at the party began to realize this wasn’t an ordinary prophet. He could actually forgive an unclean woman.

Remember my stories? If I hadn’t lowered myself I wouldn’t have discovered what was valuable.

It is similar to water. Everyone wants and needs water. It comes from a high place to a low place. It seems when I lower myself I find what I need. That is where the water is.

The Pharisees including Simon didn’t appreciate this principle of lowering themselves. They even had a hard time seeing why Jesus (who was also a Rabbi) let this woman do what she did.

When I was talking to Earl I was like Pharisees we have been talking about. My Pharisee mind was saying he smells because he is homeless. Get him out of here! Then something supernatural happened. The Holy Spirit allowed me to see as I lowered myself that I was able to receive from him.

Finally Jesus saw the treasure in the woman. He saw what a precious person she was. There is such a stark contrast between the way she treated Jesus and how the Pharisees did. The woman also saw the treasure in Jesus. He gave her something priceless. He forgave her sins. Few people in her life treated her with kindness. As a prostitute she was an outcast, but Jesus saw her for what she was, a humble sinner pouring out her love for Jesus. This is another contrast with the Pharisees who just saw her as her past, that of a prostitute.

Conclusion

All of us are created in the image of God. In God’s view every person is precious. We know he loves the whole world. At any Seahawks game you will see a sign that reads: “John 3:16” - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

There are people all around us that we either don’t notice, or we don’t want to notice by design. If we do this we may be missing out on something quite important. It is as if we were given a treasure map and we just threw it away thinking it can’t be real. If we discard the people God puts in to our lives it is the same thing.

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ぼくしのめがね

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