He came to me from out of the cold, wind and snow outside. I’d worked the day – hauling myself and letters and parcels through the snow, eight and a half miles. A long day and then more. I came home and shoveled my driveway and sidewalks. Tired and worn, I sat down to rest. And he came to me from out of the cold.
“You’re a false teacher,” he said. Flat. Solid. No doubt, all conviction. “Satanic, even.”
“We’ve gone over this already,” I grinned. “I’m a Methodist, not a monster.”
“Whatever.” He waved me off and continued on. “God has a purpose and a plan with no exceptions. God’s authority will be acknowledged.”
“Yes. God’s universal kingdom…”
“Render obedience. Give what is due. You are a man and little else. You are a man and nothing more. You’ve come to destroy heaven and earth – jot and tittle. You do and teach the same. What you need…”
“What I need is the nobler moments. The ideals realized and true.”
He said nothing immediately so I offered him a drink. “I have some homemade lavender and lemon wine.” He sniffed at the glass I handed him before setting it down.
“No rebellion – Christ is truth. And as long as sin commands you’re playing the wrong notes. Your lifestyle and pattern are all wrong. Stay away from children. I’ll tie the millstone around your neck myself. You’ve been warned.”
“Give me grace upon the lips, hope and consolation, realized and true. In the law of love there is no injustice, no loss. The poor are not exploited and the workers enjoy the fruit of their labor. Every man beneath his own fig tree.”
“Socialist crap. The pipe-dreams of Babylon. God never promised…”
“Earth shall be fair, and all her people one. Not till that hour…”
“God never promised that life would be fair. That’s completely unbiblical.” He paused and smoothed his hair into place. “Not only are you a false teacher of false idols and false doctrine, but you are a false convert as well.”
He turned and went out and it was night.
