Bag Ladies

Ephesians 1: 7-12

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."

Go into any metropolitan area and you will see them. The world is filled with people who have fallen to the bottom of life's ladder and live on the streets. They used to call them bums. Hobos. Vagrants. Nowadays the euphemism is Homeless, but truth be told, many of them actually do have homes. Cart Pushers. Bag Ladies.

I've seen some pretty ambitious ones, to tell the truth. Most of them manage to carry a few possessions with them wherever they go. But some take it to the next level. Some of them load up on grocery bags filled with things they have found along the way. Others go whole hog and steal shopping carts, then stack them high with the things they hoard. Their progress is slow and laborious. Over the years, the weight of their personal problems, combined with the weight of the stuff they carry takes a toll on their health. They drag their bodies along skid row, not really looking for anything in particular. They just survive day to day, dragging their stuff from place to place.

Of course, some are drug addicts. Others are alcoholics. Some are mentally unfit but lack anyone to care for them... or they ran away from those who did. But there they go now, trudging along through life.

Not everyone makes it to skid row, but I submit to you that there are more of us who are bag ladies than we realize. I once knew a man named Bob Merkle, and Bob made the observation that in a way, we are all bag ladies, trudging through life carrying the weight of memories, issues, and hurts we have picked up during our lives.

Imagine it: At one time you were born into a world of promise. Some lived care-free lives for a long while. Others encountered trouble right out the gate, with abusive parents. But eventually, everyone experiences their first slight. It might be major, it could be minor. But you let it shape how you viewed life. Congratulations. you just put your first thing in your bag.

Over the years, other things happen. You lose a loved one. You get your heart broken. Your dog dies. You get in an accident. You are diagnosed with something incurable. Each time, you pick up a perspective, and drop it in your bag. "Never again," you tell yourself... but then you continue to carry it with you.

Years pass. Your bags fill up. Some things in those bags are pretty big. Some things are just little tidbits. But you still allow them to slow you down. You become jaded. Less open. You used to dream about possibilities. Now that some of those dreams failed to come true, you've sworn off dreaming new ideas. "Why bother," you tell yourself.

And then one day, you look back, and see you haven't really traveled very far at all. You've allowed the old things you drag around keep you from doing the things others seem to be doing so easily. "Why?" you ask yourself. "Why did all this stuff happen to me?" You're a bag-lady, burdened with the weight of all that went wrong in your life.

I have good news though, and the answer is simple.

Put down the bags.

"Let it go, Elsa."

Human life is interesting. We make so much of things that happen to us that we let it cripple us. But truth be told, at this very moment, you have as much potential as the day you were born. You have time left. You can drop the hurts, the bad habits, the slights, the bad feelings, the regrets, the fears and move on. Make amends. Drop the issues. Dream a new dream.

Yes, we are all bag ladies. But we don't have to remain that way. God has given you a great gift of redemption. You are a new person. It doesn't really matter if others believe you or not. You know. You realize it now. You can let the past go, and leave it behind.

Drop the baggage, and live.

Go Out With Joy

Mark 1:40 - 45

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere."

Nine years ago this day I lost a good friend. I have written about Gary DuVaul here before; a wonderful minister with whom I lost track of for a while, and then reconnected with about a year before he died.

Gary was beloved by many because he had this gregarious, joyful faith. He was a happy teacher, quick to put complicated teaching into easily understood lessons. He was a man who was excited about Christ, and if ever you were in a lonely place, Gary was there.

Once when I was in such a position, Gary was one of the first people to call me to set up a lunch meeting. We had it all set up: meet at Coco's On State College Blvd. at Chapman. Easy enough. So I headed to the restaurant and waited. And waited some more. And some more. About an hour past our meeting time, I called his office; which required me finding a pay-phone because this happened a bit before cell-phones were widespread. He answered, amazed that I called wondering where he was. He told me he went to Coco's and waited for me to arrive but after 45 minutes, he returned to his office. Then it hit us both at the same time: There are two Chapman Avenues that cross State College; one in Anaheim, and one in Fullerton, and at the time, Coco's had restaurants at both! We both broke out laughing simultaneously. Without even meeting, Gary's love ministered to me in that lonely place, bringing me from sorrow to laughter.

The world lost a joyous man that day nine years ago, but Gary, who had suffered some pretty bad events in his life, was certainly called home in to that place that he loved the most, in union with God for eternity. He may have been beaten down several times in his life, but he always came back radiating joy. I loved and admired that about him so very much.

Ever been in a lonely place and had someone step in to help deliver you from your sorrow? How precious those visits are. But even more amazing is that joy each of us can bring to another, if we are willing.

I find this passage interesting. The leper asks if Jesus would be willing to heal him, and Jesus actually gets indignant! "Of course I am willing!" I'm not so sure I am always as willing to step in to help, but I pray for the opportunity daily.

Need a friend? Then go be a friend. Be willing. Share the love of God enthusiastically. Open your heart, and discover how by lifting the spirits of others, you too will be lifted.