We pulled up to the parking kiosk slowly, realizing for the first time that I had no cash to pay for parking. I began to rummage through the car's ash tray - where I keep my spare change. "Fifty cents," it was not enough. Maryna couldn't find any cash in her purse either and we sat thinking for a moment what we should do. Finally a stranger in a white suburban pulled along side. I lowered the window inquisitively. "Here you go," the kind older woman said, she couldn't have been more than 60 years old, but certainly no less than 50. She handed be a white stub with some print on it. "It is a parking pass!" she said smiling as the car rolled away. Gleefully, I pulled up to the toll taker, who gave me a pronouncedly disappointed look. She was obviously sad to see the generosity of another spare us from paying $2 for parking. I would have gladly of paid the money if I had the cash to do so, I did not.
The air was quite muggy at the zoo, almost a bit too warm. Still we perused around the exhibits. I had purchased a disposable camera for the occasion, cheerfully and childly snapping pictures as they caught my fancy. Maryna blushed whenever I turned the lens onto her - placing her hands into the space between the camera and herself, as if she was too hideous to film. "Rubbish," I thought to myself. She was beautiful in the afternoon light. The sun gently caressed her cheeks adding a tinge of pinkness and vividness to them. Her lips finely outlined with rouge, curved with perfection when she smiled. She liked the giraffes. They are a curious beast, something between a camel and a horse, but stretched out and speckled brown and tan by the very hand of God.
God: now that is a conundrum. What is this deity that we hold so high? Truly I say we, I am a deep believer in the righteous and holy God. This doesn't deter me from asking deep philosophical questions about existence, the universe, the meaning of life, God, evolution, and all the creatures on the earth - human, flora, fauna, insects and so on. Curious creatures we are indeed. Last week Maryna, an assistant at a chiropractor's office, was executing therapy on a patient who is of the faith. In deed, a faith stronger than mine, more demanding than mine, a proud faith, a faith that leads her to refer to herself as Pentecostal. She attends a rather large church, if you lived in Tulsa, as I do, you would certainly be familiar with this organization. This woman felt the need to pray for Maryna while receiving therapy. All in all, not a bad thing - as we could all use some prayer now and again. Still, she began to pray out loud. Clearly uncomfortable with the situation, it was all Maryna could do to say thank-you. Thank-you! Yes, thank-you for judging me when you don't know me. Thank-you, for belittling me in my place of employment. Thank-you, for putting me down - I hope you made yourself feel better.
How judgmental Christians have become. Isn't it written that a man cannot see into the heart of another? Would Christ have handled himself in this fashion - forcing prayers onto someone?? I think no. Christ, even as the son of God in the flesh, humbly approached many of the worst sinners, affording them respect and dignity that others did not. Did he belt out a prayer for Zacherias: "Woe to you, you cheat, you fraud, you sinner. You need God!!! Repent!!!" Again, no. His ways were subtle, tender, and merciful. Maryna is Eastern Orthodox. This isn't a sect that is respected by certain other factions. As I know her, Maryna is a believer; no she might not have explicitly "ask Jesus into her heart"; I ask: is this a requirement? Doesn't Romans 10:10 say: that if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that you will be saved (paraphrased)? I attended the Greek Orthodox Easter service, remarkably, it was very similar to any Baptist or Methodist (especially Methodist) church service that I have ever been to, the only exception being the priest sing everything instead of speaking. I am openly ashamed to call myself a Christian, though I am a believer. It is the behavior of the other believers that place this shame on me; is it not shame to cause the righteousness of a holy God to be placed under human desire for proof - for works - to place this holy deity under the judgment of a lowly human?? Is it not shame to place ourselves next to God's righteous Son, whilst lowering our fellow man with labels like sinner. I say to you: I am the lowest man and a decrepit sinner. And yet, I do not label my fellowmen. I say to you that the act of this stranger at the gate of the zoo is more righteous in the eyes of God than the prayer offered by this patient, for in the kingdom of God the least will be the greatest and the greatest the least. This woman became a servant to us, giving us passage into the zoo, and this patient become authoritarian looking down her nose at some poor lost child - little does she know the heart or mind of the child she is judging.
