Reading the red letters

Some years ago I came across an inspirational fellow named Tony Campolo. I have heard him speak twice, and from each speech I am left with words that will likely be part of my psyche until the day that I die.

The first time I heard him speak was about 15 years ago at a National Youth Gathering. He talked of visiting Cuba, and the poverty that he saw. He talked of being approached by a pimp on the way to his hotel, with the offer of of the use of 2 pre-teen girls for the night for $20. He walked away in disgust. But, then he went back to the pimp, paid the $20 and rented the girls. He took them to his suite, ordered kid food off the room service menu and let them watch movies in his bed while he slept on the floor. He couldn't liberate those girls from their hell, but he could give them one night of being treated like decent human beings.

The second time I heard him speak was at Concordia, perhaps 5 or 7 years ago. He spoke of happening into a local restaurant of a major US City that was frequented by working girls. The working girls would come in for some food before turning their next trick. He showed up for a few days and the young ladies got to know him a little bit. After a couple of weeks he heard that one of the hookers birthday was coming up, so he went out and got her a cake. On her big day he presented the cake. She said: "Hey, I thought you were a preacher, what kind of preacher are you?" He said: "The kind of preacher who would buy a hooker a birthday cake." It was the first birthday cake she had ever received.

Tony Campolo talks of being a "Red Letter Christian". Some older bible translations have the words of the Great JC written in red, with every thing else written in black. When he talks of being a Red Letter Christian he is talking about following the words of the Great JC. Not the words of my mother, nor my wife, nor my mother-in-law, nor my preacher, nor the blue haired lady in the church choir. Not the TV evangelist nor societies view of what a Christian "should" be. But, trying, as closely as possible, to follow the words of the Great JC.

I don't follow Tony Campolo, I am not a Camoloian. I don't follow Rob Bell, I am not a RobBellian. I follow the words of the Great JC. I am a Christian, and a red letter Christian at that.

I don't go out of my way to upset the apple cart, that just isn't a good way to get along with other people. But, when I have to choose between what some old woman at church would have me do vs what the Great JC would have me do, then there is no contest.

That kind of behavior gets me in trouble all of the time. There are those who would have me stop flipping pancakes on days when there are church fundraisers. There are those who hide doughnut balls from small children, and get upset with me when I give doughnut balls to 4 year olds. There are those who get upset when I leave my hat on to pray. But, when they asked the Great JC: "Dude, teach us to pray!" He didn't start out with "take off your hat, fold your hands, close your eyes, bow your head and assume an attitude of prayer." Instead he said "Our father...."

If that kind of praying was good enough for the Great JC, it is good enough for me.