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Esther
Esther tried to watch Zoe listen to the sermon without letting Zoe know she was being watched. She didn’t know where Zoe was spiritually, but she didn’t think it was a good situation, based on all the trouble she’d been in. Esther wasn’t worried, though. Lots of people get into trouble, but then when they feel Jesus’ love, they choose to hunker down inside of it instead of running around looking for distractions.
Cathy was doing a good job. She had a knack for sharing the Word without sounding preachy. She used examples from her own life or from the lives of people she knew personally, so everything was relatable.
Esther caught herself eying Walter and yanked her eyes away before he caught her too.
“Do you have a crush on him or something?” Zoe whispered.
Esther’s cheeks got hot.
“I’m sorry?”
“You keep staring at him.”
No, this was the first time she’d looked at Walter since the service had started. Before that, she’d been staring at Zoe, but she couldn’t exactly tell her that. “No, I am too old for crushes.”
Zoe looked skeptical. “I don’t think anyone is too old for crushes.”
“Shh.” Esther wanted her listening to the sermon, not thinking about her grandmother’s crushes, but when she shushed her, Zoe looked injured, and Esther regretted the shushing. She slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. Then she tried to catch up with what Cathy was saying.
“My niece could have preached at that woman until she was blue in the face, and I don’t think it would have made any difference. But the woman said, ‘I am saved because you touched me.’ You see, no one had gotten close to her in a very long time. How can you convince someone you love them if you keep them at arm’s length? This woman was a pariah, a castaway, an undesirable. But my niece, filled with the love of Jesus, reached out to her—not in the metaphorical sense! She didn’t send her an email! She didn’t have flowers delivered. She used her actual hands, and she touched the woman. And this seemingly small act changed the moment! It changed the way this woman saw herself. Suddenly, she wasn’t alone! Suddenly, she wasn’t contagious. Suddenly, she was a normal person, just like everyone else, something she hadn’t been in a very long time.”
Esther wasn’t certain, but she thought Zoe’s body stiffened at these words.
“So this act changed the moment, changed this woman’s life, and changed eternity! It changed the kingdom of God because this woman came to know Jesus, and then she shared Jesus with her husband, and then he shared Jesus with their three children. We don’t know yet how many people those three kids will affect in their lifetime, but think about it! It all started with one touch!
“It wasn’t even a big deal! She didn’t pull her off a cliff or give her a kidney. She just touched her hand! Imagine! We don’t know what people need. But if we are willing to get close to them and just give them basic Christian kindness, we might well meet that need. And in doing so, we might change a moment. We might change a life. We might change a family. We might change eternity! Imagine!”
Cathy took a deep breath. Esther imagined that she was exhausted. “Next time God plops a person down in front of you who makes you uncomfortable, ask for his direction before you back away. Of course, and this is especially for the women, make sure you are safe. I’m not suggesting you go wandering into a dark alley to touch a homeless man.”
Esther fought the urge to look at Derek. Was he still sitting back there?
To her credit, Cathy didn’t look at him either.
“Lots of dark alleys in Carver Harbor,” Zoe muttered.
At least she was listening.
“But if you are in a safe situation, and God presents you with someone, I don’t care how dirty or sick or stinky he is! You show him the love of Jesus! Not because I’m telling you to, but because someday, when you are hanging out in heaven, God might show you all that might have happened if you had gotten close to that person. And you don’t want to regret your decision then.” Cathy leaned back from the pulpit and rubbed her hands together as if they were cold. “That’s all I have for you today.” She brought one hand down on top of the pulpit as if she were playing Slap Jack. “Let’s pray!” Cathy sure did get excited about prayer.
“Wait!” a voice called out.
