The Kite Shop Experience

When I was in college, I worked for a short time in this little Kite shop in St. Augustine. It was a cool job making and selling kites, meeting all kinds of interesting people. Well, one slow summer morning, I was there, straightening up the shop when two other college-age kids came in. They took me by surprise because they immediately approached me and said, “I want to introduce you to someone. Have you met my friend, Jesus?”

I was so taken by surprise that I didn’t really know what to say, and I guess my hesitancy was their cue to pounce all over me, quoting chapter and verse about why I would surely burn in hell if I didn’t get to know their friend immediately. I was afraid they would scare away any customers, and by the time I told them to hit the road, they pretty much had me convinced that I would rather burn in hell than spend an eternity in heaven with people like them.

The thing is, I wasn’t in the church at that time, but I was spiritually open. I knew I was missing something. And looking back I can put my finger on that longing in my life. I know now what I was missing then.

There was an opportunity for those kids to share God’s grace with me – but what they brought instead were fear and judgment. They were definitely not a good witness to the beautiful message entrusted to us.

We have been entrusted with a beautiful message of grace and hope. God loves this world and each and every person in it. And we have been called to share this message. I think the challenge for us is to find ways to do this with love.

Let us pray: Gracious God, we know that you have called us to be light in a world that is often dark. We all know people who are hurting. We all know people who have lost hope, people who feel they are far from you. And yet, sometimes we pretend we don’t notice. Sometimes we feel we don’t have the means to help or the words to heal. Sometimes we are afraid to share your gospel because we’ve seen the hurtful and at times embarrassing ways this has been done. Forgive us these times, O God. Grant us the words to encourage, to invite, and to bring hope. Help us to find ways to share the love, forgiveness, and acceptance that we ourselves have experienced in a way that opens hearts. We ask in Christ’s name. Amen.