Hi, all! Just a thought to help start your weekend. 

Regular readers of these “Thoughts” will know that I enjoy visiting and taking pictures of all kinds of churches whenever I have the chance. I’ve shared pictures of cathedrals and chapels, big and small, and this little church fascinated me.

Sitting right in the middle of several quaint little shops and eateries just a block or so off the main drag in downtown San Antonio, Texas, is this little Episcopal church. I wanted to go inside and wander around, but it was locked up tight, so I snapped this shot through a door window.

It is a beautiful little church. It seems to be well kept. It looks bright and airy. It’s probably well used. The sunlight makes a nice display through the lone stained-glass window. The nicely polished wooden pews offset the slightly faded red carpet of the aisle. You may also notice that the church is well lit even though none of the electric lights are on. The sun is shining brightly through each of the side windows as well as the stained glass.

What you don’t see in my photo is the world outside these four short walls. Immediately in front of the small building, slowly walking the sidewalk, are two women, one probably the mother of the other, traveling with a small child in a stroller. All three look forlorn and tired, probably hungry.

Directly behind the church building stands a line of people, a line I had to cross in order to come around to the front and peer inside the church. In that line are various folks of various ages, shapes, sizes, and states of dress. Some are toting what are probably their only worldly possessions. No sounds are made. Oddly quiet, they all wait their turn to step inside the “food kitchen” across the way for what may very well be their only warm meal of the day.

I had just eaten my lunch. I felt strangely ashamed to have a full stomach as I made my way past. And I can’t help but wonder about their spiritual hunger as well as the physical.

I don’t know that little church membership. I have no clue of their involvement in their community. So I raise no judgment. I do, however, question each of us and our intentions as we walk along in this life directly past the hurting, the hungry, and the lost simply to get to the comforts of our nice little church buildings.

What kind of witness for the Lord are we being outside of the church house this week? Stop. Look. Listen. Get up out of your comfortable chair and walk around in your small world. You’ll be surprised how many needs you find.

Lord, help us see the need.

Just a thought. ’Til later.

Brad Campbell can be reached at mastah.pastah@yahoo.com.