Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, July 9, 2023
We often see neighbors’ newspapers rolled up in light orange plastic sleeves, waiting for them on their driveways. That’s the only place where I’ve seen them – until now.
Last week we noticed the newspaper roll on a neighbor’s roof, as seen in my photo above. And because I like to know how and why things happen, I’m curious about its delivery.
I’ve never seen anyone actually deliver our neighbors’ newspapers, so I’m not sure if they’re tossed from a car, or a bicycle, or by someone completing their route on foot. Whatever the mode of transportation was, I wish I had been in the vicinity when this particular paper was delivered.
What happened? Did someone miscalculate badly and throw the paper up on the roof rather than down on the driveway? Or was it delivered properly and someone came along later and tossed it up on the roof as a prank?
I will, with a small sigh, add this to a rapidly growing collection of things I’ll never know and probably don’t need to know. So I will instead content myself with a memory and a musing:
Memory: When I was in elementary school I wanted to be a “paper girl.” There were a couple of obstacles to this desire; first, there was no such thing, only paper boys, and I was quite sure my parents would not have allowed me to have a paper route even if the newspaper publishers would have allowed girls to have them. I’m not sure what the allure was for me, but it was probably the only job I saw kids independently doing, and making money.
Musing: I have been a Christian for decades, learning more and more about the good news of the gospel, and unlearning some things along the way. While the goodness of the good news has become clearer to me, the best way or ways to share that good news has not.
Have I, as an individual, and have we, as God’s people, sometimes delivered the good news of the gospel in ways that it has not landed well, due to miscalculations on our part? Have I, and have we, in our concern about poor delivery, hesitated to even share it?
After this past Easter season I’ve spent more time than usual reading and mulling over how Jesus spent His time after He rose from the grave, in those forty days before He ascended back to heaven.
We see in Scripture how all of the disciples abandoned Him at His arrest, fleeing in great fear for their lives as He was about to sacrifice His for them, and for us. How could He entrust the tremendous task of sharing His gospel to these feeble individuals?
He had forty days to talk with them, to teach them, to remind them. Luke tells us that “He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45 NKJV). Matthew repeats the promise He made just before He left them, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 NKJV)
I’m so thankful that we can ask for that same understanding, and remember that same promise.
The book of Acts shows us how those fearful disciples became bold bearers of the good news of the gospel. It began with “the Promise of the Father” to baptize them with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5 NIV)
That same Holy Spirit is eager to baptize us, too, to fill us with power to share the good news in good ways.
All I, and we, need to do is ask.