Honest Matthew

            I have forgotten why they called President Lincoln ‘Honest Abe’; although it may have involved walking a long walk to return some money to a neighbor.  I don’t remember that President Washington was called ‘Honest George’; but I do remember that he said something like, “I cannot tell a lie.  I chopped down the cherry tree”.  My Mother told me that her Father, John Samuel Pettus, was known as ‘Honest John’.

            We also have an honest person who lives in our house.  He is ‘Honest Matt’.

            At our church, as in other churches I have attended, in an interlude between the beginning of worship and the sermon we have what is called the ‘Children’s Sermon’.  During this time the young children go forward and sit at the altar while the Pastor or the Vicar sits with them and tells them a story which will illustrate either the theme of the day or the scripture lesson, teaching them about Jesus and teaching them to pray.  Usually some artifact is brought to help tell the story and to catch the children’s attention.  This morning the Children’s Sermon was conducted by the Vicar, and he brought out a case with a heavy object concealed within which he said was a bowling ball.  The scripture he was using for the story was Matthew 11:28:  where the Lord Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”, NIV.

            The Vicar’s method was to show how heavy the bowling bag was for one person to lift, and that it was easier for two together.  First he had Matthew lift the bag, and asked him if it was heavy, and could he carry it all the way home.  Then another boy named Ryan did the same.  After this the Vicar had them lift the bag together, one on each side, to show that it is easier for two together, the idea being that life is easier with the Lord Jesus in your heart sharing the burdens.

            The Vicar then asked a few questions such as what does it mean to be burdened, and do you ever get tired, but the pertinent question, the one in which Matthew excelled, was, “Do you worry?  What do you worry about?  The Vicar asked this of all the children and what answers would you imagine could be expected?

            I worry about getting lost in a store where there are big crowds.

            I worry when my daddy is gone on a business trip that he might not return.

            I worry about …..

            The Vicar then turned to Matthew and asked him directly what he worried about, and those of you who know Matthew and how difficult it is to get him to eat his supper can imagine his answer.  What does Honest Matthew worry about?

            “I worry about not getting dessert”, Matthew said.