They came in late and sat in the back pew, an African-American mother and seven year-old son.
I didn’t know they were there until it was time to get up and go for communion and I turned around and saw them.
She seems comfortable to be in Church. He seemed a little nervous and didn’t really know what was happening. Pretty typical for a 7 year old, he was out of his element. His mom got him corralled and into the line for communion.
Lisa K was in front of them, Bernie McBee was behind them. I was last in line behind Bernie.
The line was moving along at the normal pace and then about halfway up to the front, there were some commotion. The mother and son were leaning to the right, smiling with big smiles, and waving at someone.
I looked off to the right and I couldn’t tell who they were waving at. We all look like a bunch of white grandparents. I wondered which Grandma this young boy knew.
Then he did it. He bolted from the line. He squeezed into the pew... past one grandmother and then another. He got to the far end of the pew and fell into the open arms of a woman. I looked at his mother. She said, "that is his teacher from school."
I thought it was fantastic that in one moment, a young boy can go from being in a place where he is lost and disconnected, to being in the arms of a loving supporting figure in his life.
The picture in my brain of him climbing past the Grandmas to be embraced by, and to embrace his teacher will be etched in my memory forever.
That is what the church ought to be doing. Welcoming in the lost and uncomfortable, and helping them to joyfully find a home.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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