Crazy People

Visions of a volleyball with a handprint-shaped face on it kept flashing through my mind. Every ten minutes huge cargo planes with the Fed-Ex logo on the side flew low overhead, their engines droning over any attempt at conversation, much less the telling of a Bible story. We were working under two tailgate tents, having group time on a tarp stretched on the pavement near the few trees bordering the parking lot. Crazy people? Maybe. It was sunny and hot and it was one of the best times I’ve ever had. Bridge Memphis Backyard Bible Clubs.

For a week, kids showed up every morning. We did crafts, played games, fed them snacks, and told them Bible stories. It was the middle of summer and they were excited at something fun to do.

We were two states away from home. Some of us were taking vacation days from work, some were retired, some were stay-at-home moms, others were on summer break from high school or college. A few were church staff. A sundry group of, some would say, crazy people all ages and from all walks of life with one common bond—Jesus Christ and a desire to share the hope and peace He brings.

Those kids went back to life as usual after that week. They probably didn’t remember our names or where we came from. Maybe they remember a bunch of crazy people who came and set up camp in an inner-city church parking lot for a few days who fed them snacks, told stories, and played games.

We hope they remember that for a whole week people they’d never met spent time with them, were interested in them, got to know them. Most of all, we hope they remember we told them about Someone named Jesus who lived on this planet 2,000 years ago, a man who healed people, calmed a storm, and cared about everyone–children, old people, poor people, rich people, people of all cultures and backgrounds, a man who loved–loves–every single person ever. We were there to share Jesus, God’s Son, the Hope of all eternity. That’s what we want them to remember.

The hotel room we stayed in had black mold in it so we had to move mid-week to another one. My morning run had to be on the hotel treadmill because there wasn’t a good place to run outside. We got to visit the National Civil Rights Museum and eat BBQ on Beale Street during some free time. And one night, we went to Riverside Park and walked around passing out water bottles and talking to people.

Lots of them looked at us and made fun or called us crazy for mentioning the name of Jesus. In the world we live in, when a random person on the street or in the park stops to talk, people are skeptical. But Jesus Christ, the good news of hope is for everyone and some people may never hear it unless a random friendly group of people show up in the church parking lot or on a summer evening in the park.

The people who hear might not give it a second thought. They might just dismiss the strange crazy people in the park. But one day those kids, their families, and those random strangers might hit a place in life when they realize they need help, they need hope, they need a friend. And, in that moment, we want them to remember we told them about Someone who loves them more than they can ever imagine, Someone who can transform them into a new creation. We want them to remember Jesus, God’s Son, the One who will hold them when they hurt, help them when they’re alone, walk with them through the fire, and be there no matter what life throws at them.

If they remember that, then any heat, humidity, black mold, and vacation days spent in parking lots in the middle of July will be completely worth it. If they reach for Christ, then being called crazy people and being laughed at is okay by me.

Blessings!