I love ministry in the rain. It feels different. Everything becomes clean. Ordinary people on the street hurry from destination to destination, bundled, covered, and head down. The roadway glistens. The trees and plants catch raindrops like jewels. The air puts on a fine perfume of sweet ozone.
Imagine being a street kid. …
You get a questioning glance. Eyes avert when you look to another's face. Some people avoid you. Another bumps into you. Some give you dirty looks. You have an epithet aimed at you. A sense of anxiety develops and goes with you all day.
But when it rains, all that washes away. Fewer people and fewer cars are around. People focus on staying dry and pay less attention. The sound of raindrops hits everything. The sound of splashing water from cars and buses covers other sounds. You stand tall in the rain. You gather together undisturbed. You play in the puddles. You run in circles with arms upstretched to the clouds. Your body is washed and your hair becomes sleek. Your face shines. You smile. You laugh.
Yes, I love ministry in the rain. I look forward to it. The downpour dominates all other forces on the street. The sweet fragrance of rain overshadows all other smells. The rain washes clean the sidewalk, the plants, and the roadways. Rain washes clean the street youth. Rain washes clean the community. Rain washes clean the servant. What a wonderful metaphor for the healing grace of Jesus Christ... for nature, for the community, for the workers, and for the street youth.
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