Where Did Jesus Hang Out?

Every once in a while, I find myself on the road travelling.   Some times, the reason for my travel is to see family or because my wife Ann and I enjoy seeing this great, big, beautiful world.  Some times, the reason for my travel is church related especially in my duties as President of the United Methodist Rural Advocates of the United Methodist Church.   A few days ago,  I was in Minneapolis for a national meeting of the United Methodist Rural Advocates as we came together to give voice to concerns of rural places, rural people, and rural communities.   One of the things I often do in my travels is to limit the clothing that I take with the expectation that I will be able to wash clothes at the hotel or motel where I am staying.   Such was the case on this trip to Minneapolis;  however, when I was about to run out of clean clothing, I discovered that the place where I was staying had no washer and dryer for their guests to use.   So, I made a trip to the Pilgrim Cleaners and Laundry.   Though I can faintly remember a time when my home as a child did not have a washer and dryer and though I can remember well as a teenager hanging out clothes on the clothes line for my mother because we did have a clothes dryer,  going to a laundromat is not the kind of place I often go.  There were only  a few people in the laundromat besides myself on that evening:   an African American woman working there as the monitor/attendant… an African American man washing linens…  and a Hispanic couple with several young children.  As I sat there washing and drying my clothes, I spend my time watching the people around me… checking the email on the phone… and watching with little interest the television show on the one television in the place.  Suddenly, it hit me:   This is the kind of place where Jesus would hang out.

Though I frequently find myself in beautiful church buildings and with fine church people,  I really don’t think that if  Jesus were on the earth today that he would hang out at those kinds of places.   Rather, I think he would be hanging out places like a laundromat where people who do not have the monies to afford a washer or dryer in their home hang out.   I believe that Jesus would be there talking to those people on the dark Minneapolis street that I quickly passed by on my way or in the city bus station as people wait for public transportation because they cannot afford a motor vehicle.   If you don’t want to take my word for it, take the word of  the gospel of Matthew  where we read:  

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”   (Matthew 9:10-11)   

I believe that if Jesus were walking among us today he would hang out at the laundromat, in the bus station, on the city street, and in the places where the “least of these” would hang out even as long ago he hung out with the tax collectors and sinners and hung out on the cross.  I must confess that I hang out too little at those places and if I am to follow Him I must hang out more at those places.  How about you?  Have a joy-filled week.--  Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:      God of us all, you have called not only to gather to worship, but to scatter to serve you.   Give us feet that take us to places where the “least of these”  need to know the wonder of your love;  through Christ our Lord.  Amen.