Security From Want > Freedom To Serve

from left: Dr. Bob Smith, Bill Wilson 

This past weekend (May 11-12) represents the the anniversary of a very special spiritual event that took place on those days in 1935. An event that replays our basic faith journey story - found, among other places, in Acts 16:16-34:

• From Security From Want 
• To Freedom From Want
• To Freedom From Fear
• To Freedom To Serve

For on Sunday, May 12, 1935 – Mothers’ Day then, as it is today – a stranger named Bill met a stranger named Bob. Two Vermont natives, meeting for the very first time in another’s home in Ohio.

Akron, Ohio. Where the day before, Bill – visiting from New York City – found himself on the losing end of a big business deal he had forged in the midst of the Great Depression, no less. Bitterly discouraged, Bill found himself in a strange place, discredited and almost broke. He could not pay his hotel bill; he hadn’t even the train fare to return to his home. No Security From Want had he.

But Bill had one thing going for him. Once a hopeless alcoholic, he had been sober for about six months. And he had discovered that he had remained sober only because he had consistently reached out to others to help them get sober, as well. He had remained sober, in other words, when he had practiced the Freedom To Serve. Nothing else had worked; nothing else would work.

And so Bill’s moment of reckoning came that May 11^th Saturday. On the one end of the hotel lobby stood a doorway into a bar. Ah, companionship and release – and perhaps security, a way to get out from under his hotel bill! Here's Freedom From Want, at least -- forget about Freedom From the Fear that he had, and would only increase if he took that option! On the other end of the lobby stood a glass-covered directory of local churches … and a pay phone.

When Freedom From Want beckoned, Bill chose the Freedom From Fear route. He chose the pay phone. Surely he could call a local clergy, and find another alcoholic he could possibly help. Even if he couldn’t, reaching out would keep him sober.

Bill connected with a clergy who connected him with a parishioner who connected him the very next day with one of the town drunks: a shaky-sober surgeon whose name was Bob. And on that Mothers’ Day 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous was born.

 

One sober drunk talking with another sobering drunk. Not to provide Security From Want – not primarily, anyway. But one sober drunk talking with another sobering drunk to provide freedom from by practicing the Freedom To Serve.

For one year now, every day close to 200 sober alcoholics walk through the Del Ray Club doors on our church's property. Beginning with several dozen at 6:45 am – every single day. Why are their meetings so popular? What is their secret? One alcoholic shares with another, practicing the freedom to serve to be free from … well, being served!

Much like one parishioner serving another. Perhaps we do that a bit during our Joys and Concerns. We do it even better when we serve Christ in the community alongside of one another.

Security from want: Is that the reason we come to Worship? If so: great. But we cannot stop there.
 

  Freedom from want? That’s a good thing, too. But we cannot stop there.

  Freedom from fear? That’s even better. But we cannot stop there.

  We are freed from – the saving – in being free for – the serving.

And when we serve one another together, as one – when, per the Acts scripture, the jail doors of our lives are flung open, and food is set before us – when poor come together with rich, and joy is in the air …

  Isn’t this the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed?

  Isn’t this is the reason his resurrection is ours?