Behavior: what does it say about us?

This morning at mass, Father Pat made a simple observation. The early church was characterized by disciples and followers of Jesus "who loved one another". The book of Acts confirms this. The early Christians held their property in common; money and goods were distributed accordinging to each person's needs; non-believers knew the the early Christians by their love for one another. So, if that is the way things began, what changed? According to Father Pat, the problem was that beginning with the naming of the early followers as "Christians" (which happened at Antioch) and continuing as emperor Constantine made Chrisitianity the official religion of Rome, we became more interested in what we are called than in how we actually behave. As Christians, Father Pat continued, we ought to be concentrating on our behavior, as opposed to being "Catholic" or even "Christian".

That got me (Mark) thinking: how do I actually behave, when no one is looking? Do people look at me and say: "We know he is a Christian, not because of what he says, but because of what he does." Oh, I know that my immediate family and friends love me and think that I am a loving person -- at least I hope they do. But, the real question is: would a complete stranger know that I am Christian by my behavior? Do I "walk the walk" or simple talk a good game?

I meditated on this during my prayer time this morning, and I have to say that the "reviews" were mixed. I thought about the young woman I confronted about her littering in the CVS parking lot several months ago. I doubt that she would have thought my actions qualified me as a loving Christian. I thought about James, the young gay man I met at the St. Francis Inn two weeks ago, and how I had consoled him during a time of crisis in his life. He might vote "yes".

Then, a recent example from this past week popped into my head. Thea and I were at our daughter Angela's house. Cade, our three year old grandson was upset. It was late in the afternoon and he wanted to go to the park. Our daugher and son-in-law wanted to get going on dinner and the evening routine, which did NOT include a trip to the park. So, Thea and I suggested that we take Cade to the park for a few minutes. It wasn't in the plan for the day, but we could be a little flexible.

Since we needed the carseat, we took Angela's car. About halfway to the park, I glanced at the fuel gauge -- YIKES!!! We were not just low, we were running on fumes: the low fuel light was on and the needle was well to the LEFT of the red "E". Silently praying, I drove toward the park and turned in to the very first gas station I saw. We had never stopped at that station before for gas, and it wasn't the lowest price, but "any port in a storm".

As I began the fueling process, I became conscious of a young man approaching me. He was tall, dark hair...serious. "Sir, I am really embarrassed to ask you, but I need money." He related a whole, involved story of how he had come up from Mississippi to help out a friend whose mother was sick. When he got here, his friend didn't have any money, and the mother needed special treatment for a broken hip. They were on their way from Raleigh to Charlotte, but did not have enough gas to get there. A kind soul had already given them $5, but they would soon need more. Could I please give him $20 for gas?

Now, if there is one thing that our eight months at the St. Francis Inn has taught us, it is how to respond to " a hustle". Our guests at the Inn are professional hustlers. You cannot live on the street without knowing how to get money out of kind-hearted, but unsuspecting people. Thea and I have learned to "check things out" before we say "Yes", and our cardinal rule is "Never give money directly to the guests because it will invariably be used to buy drugs or alcohol." I was being asked by a complete stranger to violate this rule.

He could see that I was wary and so he pulled out his ID. I checked it: he was from Mississippi, and he was veteran, discharged in summer, 2009. I glanced at his car: there was an old woman in the passenger seat, motionless with her head drooping, as if in pain. I made careful eye contact with the young man -- he looked earnest, embarrassed, and a little desparate. In consulted my "inner voice" -- no warning bells sounded. With one final look at the ID, I pulled out my wallet and gave him a $20. I watched as he got into his car and pulled away. I thought for a moment that I'd been "hustled", but he was only moving to the other side of the gas pump to better access his fuel tank. I pumped my own gas, got into my vehicle, and proceeded to the park with Cade and Thea. I assume that he finished his own fueling and drove on to Charlotte.

As I pushed Cade on the park swing, I wondered if the man was "legit" or if he had just taken advantage of me. He insisted on taking my address, swearing that when he returned home, he would send me the money. As I reflect on this now, I realize that whether or not he repays me does not matter. In this one instance, I did actually did behave as a loving Christian. I believe that God acted through me to help another person who was in need. Chalk one up for the Holy Spirit.

Do I always act this way? Of course not. There are many instances when I, like everyone else, am selfish, self-centered, and downright mean. However, Jesus calls me and all of us to behave so much that people will know we are Christians by our love. It's a tough task, but with His Grace, that is what we are called to do, one day at a time, one person at a time, one "incident" at a time.

St. Francis puts it another way, "Preach the gospel at all times...if necessary, use words!"