A Bigger Point Hiding behind a Smaller Gesture

A Bigger Point Hiding behind a Smaller Gesture

Sunday, November 14, 2021

During the public comment section of John’s funeral, two examples were offered of sincere gratitude for gestures of friendship and neighborliness. Knowing John’s testimony, he would not have wanted the recipients to miss the larger gift; to be blessed, but miss the Blessing.

By “small gesture,” I don’t mean insignificant. These were good things to do aside from other bigger, eternal concerns. But with John, the eternal concerns were never far removed, and so I assume that there was an ulterior motive in his acts of kindness: that these individuals might find Christ.

One gentleman spoke of not taking John up on an invitation to join the marching band, thirty plus years ago. There were both drummers, but back at that time, the young man did not desire to “join no marching band.” He wanted to play drums in a rock band, which he did. But now he realizes that he missed out on something different, maybe better.

But there’s a bigger invitation, to join in a journey with Jesus who is the Way to a restored relationship with God. I can’t know for sure if the conversation reached that level, but how many, on the Last Day, will regret not having responded to an invitation to trust Jesus, received years before, and ignored, perhaps because it was not perceived as cool enough.

John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

And a neighbor spoke of John donating clothes to him. There were about the same build. John had a liking of the “Dickey” brand of work clothes (I wonder why), and John knew that they would soon be of no use to him. The clothes donation is touching, coming from a neighbor who soon would be absent. But I’ve got to believe that John’s big point was not that his neighbor wear Dickey’s, but that he be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, apart from which we can never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Gal. 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

As we reach out with simple and small acts of goodness and kindness, let us not forget God’s desire that these people discover Christ. And may they not miss the bigger point.