Thoughts On A Given Day

In the movie, Field Of Dreams, the character played by Kevin Costner hears a voice that says, “If you build it, he will come.” Costner obeys the voice, believing it is talking about Shoeless Joe Jackson, and he builds a baseball field in his cash crop corn field, thus causing bankruptcy for his family. Later in the movie this concept of “he will come” is broadened in the famous voice of Darth Vader speech to include other people. “People will come, Ray,” the voice of Darth Vader says, “for it’s money they have and peace they lack.” This is somewhat of a spiritual truth.  I say, somewhat, because although it is not true that everyone has money, it is true that everyone lacks and desires peace. I have enjoyed this movie since I first saw it years ago. There is humor in it. There is drama. There are heartwarming scenes where people make hard decisions to sacrifice for the sake of others, and it does feature my favorite Allman Brothers song, Jessica, while they travel in the van. It is an entertaining movie, but by no stretch of the imagination does it help point people in the right direction. It is peace that people lack, but it will not be found in either a cornfield or a baseball field. Peace is found in Jesus Christ.

Still, I like the concept of “If you build it, they will come.” I have seen some evidence of that here in my own yard. Among other things that my yard is, it is an aviary, a sanctuary for birds (and other critters) of all sorts. This did not happen by accident. Years ago, when we first began to build our home here, we intentionally included places for the birds. This involved leaving much of our property natural. It also involved planting bushes and trees where the birds could nest and raise families. It involved building ponds and placing bird baths so they could access water. It also involved placing a variety of birdfeeders on the property so that ample food supply is always available. Some of the bushes and trees provide natural sources of fruit and seeds for the birds, and we deliberately left portions of the trunks of some trees that we had cut on the property so that there would be an attraction for woodpeckers and other birds that like to seek out their food within rotting tree trunks. I also constructed a major platform for birdfeeders made out of 4 x 4 posts, and this is always a significant source of attraction for a variety of birds. We have other feeders right outside of our dining room window where we can watch small birds come and feed close to the house. My cat particularly enjoys that feeder and loves watching it through the window. If you build it they will come. This did not happen overnight, however. It took time for the birds to learn that this was a place of sanctuary, that this was a place where they could find the varieties of food that they need on a regular basis. They did learn, however, and they did come, and now we have some families of birds that have lived here through many of their generations.

If you build it they will come, but you can’t leave it at that. If the birdfeeders are left empty, the birds will stop coming. They need to feed. They come here because they know that there is a consistent, reliable supply of food to be found in those feeders. They nest nearby, and daily they come to feed.

People are no different. They have basic needs as well. The question we in the Church have to ask ourselves is this – are we meeting the needs of the people who walk through our doors? Another question should also be are we stepping foot outside of our doors ourselves, and are we carrying the love of Christ with us as we go, or are we hiding behind the walls of the building. People will not believe there is anything to be found behind our doors or within our walls if we do not carry the love of Christ with us as we live our own daily lives. If we build it, they will come, because it is a peace they lack, and they know it. They are searching for an answer. We, as Christians, need to recognize that we are the Church, and we need to help point others who are searching for answers and lacking peace toward Christ, because he is the only source of peace they can find. It is spiritual food they need as well as physical food. Granted, sometimes it’s hard to hear the voice of the Lord if your own stomach is growling so loud that you can’t hear anything else. We as Christians cannot expect to provide a true witness to Christ in this world if we do not make an honest attempt to meet the basic needs of the people to whom we are hoping to point to Christ. They will not listen to our message if they do not see a sincere effort on our part to love them. They may come to the church building, and I stress the word may, if it looks inviting, if it looks like a place where they can find what they have been searching for, yearning for, but they will not keep coming if they are not being fed, if their needs, both spiritual and physical, are not being met. If you build it they will come, but is there food in the feeders?

 

John 14:27

New International Version (NIV)

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Luke 10:25-37

New International Version (NIV)

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” ²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” ²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ ³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” ³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”