Why Are You Doing This?

Saturday night after worship, I did my 2.5 hour shift in the church parking lot. As part of our community's annual celebration event downtown (parking is at a premium in the area), we open our church lots up for free parking (with other businesses in the area charging as much as $5 to park). Obviously our lot was pretty full if not completely full at most times that night but my wife and sons and I enjoyed talking to folks and handing out free water and it felt good when a spot would open up and you could actually find a parking spot for the cars that pulled in.

One gentlemen pulled up and I had noticed a spot open in the lot across from where I was so I directed him that way and he went over and parked. A couple minutes later he walked up and asked if he could make a donation, but I refused it and offered him a free bottle of water. He then asked "why are you doing this?"

It was an apt question in today's world. Why would we open our parking lot to the community for free while other lots were using the opportunity to raise money (many for great charitable causes mind you so I am not condeming them for it)? Why add the free bottle of water to the already free parking? Hmmmm. It seemed obvious to me from my perspective but when this stranger asked the question of me on Saturday night, I was struck by the fact that for many, selfless acts of service are perceived as either insane or an attempted conjob. It was as if he was asking, "what's the catch?"

Of course, the answer to his question was right on the free parking sign. "Because God's Love is Free," or in other words, the "catch" was that God loves us, so much so that he sent his only son, Jesus the Messiah, to save us from our sins and take our punishment of death for us so that we might have life.

Romans 3:22-24(NIV): "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

A free parking spot and bottle of water is nothing. It is the very least we can do for our neighbors. But perhaps, it will provide an impetus to a few of those who ask the question, "Why are you doing this?" to seek out an answer and find out that there is so much more God offers them "freely by his grace." "What's the catch?" Well, as a fisher of men, my prayer is that the catch is you. That you come to know the saving grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus.