The Word on the Street

Late this afternoon, I was traveling between home and church and noticed something new on busy Robert Street. Wearing a small stole around his shoulders and holding an open Bible in one hand, a young man was shouting scripture in the general direction of the Chinese buffet parking lot across the street. Now I enjoy the Chinese buffet and I love the Bible, but the combination left me feeling curious and a little uneasy. I wanted to ask the preacher about his methods, but the traffic forced me to hurry on. Although I admire his boldness, I wonder if barking scripture at someone has ever worked -- ever led to a relationship, ever sparked a curiosity that grew into a love for Jesus, ever turned someone away from sin. (And if eating Chinese food is problematic, I'm in trouble.)

A block later, I passed a more familiar but no less unusual figure in front of a local pizza joint. Normally dressed in a heavy toga costume with a big nose, he dances non-stop on the corner advertising the restaurant's dance-worthy specials. Dressed as a little Roman dictator, I've admired his energy and have sometimes even been convinced by his dance moves to purchase pizza. Without the costume on this hot day, he's a big sweaty guy with headphones, holding a rectangular dance partner, still dancing away. Being a pizza mascot is not a glamorous or lucrative job, but this guy puts his whole self into it - every day - and I admire that.


I encounter these two fellows as I contemplate the parable of wheat and weeds recorded in Matthew's gospel (Matthew 13:24-29). The workers are eager to rid the fields of choking, potentially deadly weeds masquerading as wheat but the owner says no – let them grow until harvest, when things will be sorted out.

Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the good plants from the weeds – in our gardens, in our communities, in our politicians, on our street corners. A preacher boldly quoting scripture could be using God’s Word to sow seeds of hate and fear. Wheat or weed? A big, sweaty guy dancing away on the street corner hopes to cash in on your hunger pangs. Wheat or weed?

God appears willing to live with the uncertainty of a field mixed with both weeds and wheat rather than risk pulling up any of the good stuff. In the meantime, we are called to be wheat - using our gifts to build up the body of Christ, to work for justice, to care for our neighbors in concrete ways. Maybe even to speak and to act more boldly for the things we care deeply about. Maybe even to dance. 

Please let me know if you see anything interesting while you are about and about!