Nov 19 2006 Belonging to our Path

Nov 19 2006 PUMC Belonging to our Path

Megan Mckenna passes on a traditional story that goes something like this:

Once upon a time there was Jew named Abu Kassim who lived in a city in Turkey a long time ago
Now Abu was a rag seller and he worked very hard but luck was against him and he was always very poor.

Every morning Abu would walk up and down the street
trying to sell some rags.
“Rags for sale
rags for sale, Come and buy my rags”

But no one wanted any rags and Abu got desperately poor
he was so poor
that he was down to one torn old shirt. one ragged pair of pants
and no shoes at all.

And life was a hard struggle..

One day though,after he had been walking all morning
he sat down by the side of the road to take a little rest
and he opened up the little sack that his wife had given him
and he had a piece of crusty old bread for his lunch.
And as he took out his bread he saw an old man with long white bear coming down the roadcoming right toward him.

And he looked very tired so Abu greeted him..
“Good Day grandfather”
And the old man answered him
“Good day’

“Please,” said Abu,,
“you look so tired
why don’t you sit along side me and have some rest.”

And Abu offered him a piece of his bread.

Take this he said
You must be hungry I wish I had more to offer, but this is all I have.

The old man thanked him.. And took the bread and he ate it very slowly
when he finished eating the bread

he looked at Abu and said. You have a kind heart.
And I have the power to grant a wish
a special wish
Ask for anything you want..
and it shall be yours.

Abu Kassim was very surprised..and startled

O h he said..
if only I had a pair of shoes.

And all at once.

By some kind of miracle..
The man reached into Abus bag of rags
and pulled out some sandals.

Shiny brand new sandals.

Thank you! Thank you

Abu cried with delight This was something he could hardly believe

but right away he put on these new shoes.

They were made just for his feet. How comfortable they are
and how quickly he could walk in them.
.it was like they gave both speed and rest.. to his feet.

He knew they were the most wonderful shoes in the world..

more than he could imagine.
He turned around to thank the old man but he was gone!
And from that moment on when Abu put on those mysterious shoes.

His luck began to change.
Now he was walking faster than he ever walked before.
he would call out for the rags he was trying to sell,,

and people bought them
more and more
now he was taking home gold coins and profits every day.
Not long after that he opened his own shop.
He sold pants and shirts and skirts.
And best of all his prices were low..


He sold his clothes at a such a good price that even the poorest of the poor could afford to buy clothes..

and people came form all over the city..

The months went by..and the years went by
Abu breathed easier.

He built a house.
He had good clothes..
And he ate good food...not anything extragant....but just right
And he always remembered
to share the bulk of what he had with the poor.
He always shared with poor.
And all this time Abu kassim wore his sandals
those very same shoes.

Well of course ...as time went on they began to wear out..

they were now very shabby looking sandals,
a hole here
and tear there.
A rip or a crack.


One day
as he was talking to a neighbor
the neighbor said..
Abu what a fine shirt you have and some very nice pants
you even have a nice embroidered hat..

But what a shame
look at your shoes..
such ragged shoes for a man of your taste...who wears something like that!
I think it’s a disgrace..
So he looked at his sandals and this neighbor was right

and he was ashamed
he said to himself..
I have to get rid of these shoes
but how can I get rid of the shoes.
So the next day he went to the shoe shop
over to the cobbler and he got a new pair of shoes..some nice new sandals and he put them on..

And then on the way home he threw out his old sandals

he just tossed them into the river.

He watched them sink.. Happy really to be rid of them..

well
the very next morning 2 fisherman came knocking at his door..
Abu Kassim.... look at what we found in our nets..
And they held out his sandals.
All dripping and wet..
On no he thought to himself.
But.. he thanked them politely and sent them away.

How was he going to get rid of them.?

So then he went to the bath house.
He had them tucked under his arms
you know how things are always disappearing at the bath house.
So he left them there..

Someone was bound to pick them up.

And the next morning a small boy came to the door..
And he had the sandals..God Morning sir

I think your forget your sandals back in the bath house.
Again he thanked the boy and he took the sandles
what could he do.

Then another idea came to him.

He waited until the sun went down and the sky was dark

he took his shovel and went out of town out to a field and he dug a hole.

He buried the sandals way down deep ;
so deep that no one would find them..
He smiled
finally he was done with those worn out sandals.

But (You guessed it)
the very next day there was a knock at the door
this time it was soldiers.
But they didn’t have the sandals..

Looking very stern at Abu Kassim
they said..

Last night someone saw you burying a treasure out in the field..

That land belongs to the sultan
so any treasure that is hidden there belongs to him

you must dig it up. And give it to the Sultan right away.


Abu laughed as he went with the guards..and took them to the treasure..

They dug it up .. Just dirty old sandals.

But this time he knocked off the dirtand put them back on

they were as comfortable as ever.
And with them he walked as graceful as before.

My dear sandals he said.
I don’t know what I did to deserve you..
But you are beyond a doubt the best present I have ever had..

Then Abu kassim remembered that told man..
And a revelation came to him .

.and he knew who that was.
.that old man was Elijah the prophet.

Sent by God..
To help the people when they are really in need.

Abu Kassim wore those sandals. For as long as he lived.

No matter how many holes and rips and cracks they had..
No matter how many creaks and squeaks and strange looks they got for him.
Those sandals never wore out.. And Abu never went without them.
And over the years
as time went on..
Abu grew in wisdom.
He grew in generosity
and he had good friends.
Hope
Hope was with him all of his days.

In spite of changes in luck and life..

With al the ups and downs..
Everyone knew him by his sandals.
And by the way that he walked in life.

You could say
that he belonged to the one who sent the gift.

In a way
he belonged to his sandals..

That’s the story and the truth is
its our story
everyone one of us here has been given a pair of sandals

well, not literally... but you have been given a gift that helps you walk in life
you have been given way to walk
instead of sandals ....we are given a path

did you hear it in the psalm ??

Make me to know your ways O Lord
teach me your paths
lead me..
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness


all through the Psalms you hear about this path

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light to my path

all through the psalms and in the Bible
you hear about walking Gods path..walking in righteousness

Itis like a pair of sacred sandals through life,
given to us
put it on....it comes to us..
and even if seems old fashioned and worn out
its what we belong to .
Don't walk without it..

(Don’t toss it aside in terms of the gospel lesson today

especially when we get scared or anxious about the news

keeps your sandal on..belong to them

don’t leave the path
when you see wars and rumors of wars
and all the ups and downs

stick to the path
or as Jesus said Don’t be afraid when you see those things
.There will always be wars and rumors of wars..
Don’t be alarmed....don’t jump off the path

when false prophets and false promises ..all the other ideas..
come along
and all the other things that are trying to say follow me..
I’ll make you happy..I’‘ fix your problem..
Do it my way.. I’ll protect you I’ve got the answer..



. We need to stick to the true..path.
.the path of steadfast love
the path of God
the path that we have in Jesus Christ

it was Jesus Christ who said I am the way..

THAT COULD ALSO BE TRANSLATED
AS
I AM THE PATH
THE PATH OF LIFE..
I am the Pathway, the truth and the life

FOLLOW ME
.. Keep the path

Remember when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in johns Gospel?

I think he was washing their feet as if.. he was baptizing their feet for this new path of servant hood and love..
And as we celebrate Brenda’s (Garrets) baptism today..

We are saying Brenda (Garret)

you have a path in Jesus Christ that belongs to you

God given..a gift.. in Jesus Christ..

That path brought you here today

and that path is yours for the rest of your life
for eternity
It is the path of Jesus
and it will bring you
to the communion table of forgiveness and community
it will lead you to generosity and wisdom and hope

it will lead you (him)to worship and prayer and caring for other.

it will fit your (his) life
its over 2000 year old. ..so yes,,it old fashioned....some people think its out of fashion....but its eternal
it will fit your life...and it belongs to you and you belong to it..

If the shoe fits.. wear it.





sandal story is adapted from Megan McKenna. One of her books on the Lenten readings
will add reference later.