Service

By

Emilio Chaviano

You have probably seen those bracelets with the letters W.W.J.D. The letters stand for What Would Jesus Do?  I made up W.C.W. J. A. and it means What Church Would Jesus Attend? If you are a church member, do you think that Jesus would attend your church?  If he did; would he stay awake, doze off, clap after the sermon, put money in the plate or preside over the council?  Would he change anything? I visited a service at First United Methodist Church of Miami last week and I could just imagine Jesus walking around saying:  “This is what I had in mind for my church.”  The service I attended was on Saturday and it lasted over four hours. There was no hymn singing, organ music, offering collected, sermon preached or candles lit. No one was dressed up. Every year this amazing church holds the foot washing for homeless persons. Well over two hundred people came to have their feet treated by podiatry students from Barry University, volunteers washed feet and distributed socks and new shoes. Others served healthy food and desserts. Everyone smiled at everyone else and the air was filled with the energy of love, self-giving and new friendships. Was this a church service? Yes, it was the church serving! This is the kind of church Christ loves to visit.  He looks around to find his followers engaged in servant discipleship. I think that is what he was trying to teach us when he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed his disciples’ feet. When Christians serve others, Jesus attends!