Usher Me In

I usually come dressed to church like a slacker. Blue jean pants, sport shirt (if that). I think it honors the Sabbath. Dressing up in a suit and tie starts to look like work. Then, it becomes "Works Salvation." Blue jeans equals Grace. Come as you are, as you were, like Nirvana sang.

One Sunday, though, after being pseudo-chastised by "No great formal dresser on Sunday" Tom Becker, I decided the following Sunday to wear my best suit--the one that my wife Lina hand-picked for me for our West Coast reception of our wedding (a lot of her family couldn't make it back East for the first wedding reception following our ceremony so we had an almost entirely Taiwanese function out in California--family and food).

Well, I pulled a good joke on old Tom the following Sunday at church who immediately got the attire response gag and cackled like a crow (it was pretty obvious as I never dress up). But, alas, the joke was on me. As long as a dressed like a slacker, I was under the radar of the "Ushering Uber Coordinator" Bruce LaSala. Now, that I crossed the clothing threshold, like Julius Caesar and the Rubicon, it was only a matter of time before LaSala enlisted me into the "Legion of Ushers."

I whined, I wheedled, I complained, I tried to figure out a theological loophole so that I wouldn't have to serve. But, work is essential on Sunday for the church to function. God wasn't going to and didn't bail me out. Neither did his persistent Lt. LaSala.

So, I have ushered the last three weeks (my second tour of duty). I was conscripted by LaSala to do next Sunday in his plans but I am in Minnesota for the Thanksgiving vacation.

I think I actually have kind of sucked at ushering. Offering bulletins to those who already have them in hand (etc.). However, at the end of the service today, I was asked to distribute a card by our "Ushering Captain" Jack (real title, real name) for the Milagro House bake sale that our church is hosting to raise money.

The Milagro House is a place for "Women in Distress" and their children. In a small but important way, I felt like I was doing kingdom work for the fatherless (the mom's have probably made their share of mistakes but the kids just get caught in the tidal wave of problems. Yet, mercy to the mom's, double mercy to the kids). I am thankful that my church has a social conscience without the attendant theological liberalism that seems to sneak in slowly like a snake only to bite at the Bible.

It made me think. I want to do great things for God. But, am I willing to do small things? Like ushering?

Now, all I need to do is to find a blue jean suit!

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