Jody Larson clutched her vinyl purse and tugged at the collar of her double-knit, tailored dress. She stared at the peeling paint above the doorbell and then over at the couple standing beside her. She was glad her church's visitation program was not a solitary venture. The man in the trio checked a notebook. "Yes, this is the place." He patted Jody's shoulder. "Don't be nervous. The holy-boldness-of-God will sustain you."
"Always remember you're not responsible," said the woman beside him. "We give them the Word; and if they reject it, our hands are clean." She linked one clean hand to her husband's arm. Gerald and Gloria Steele were very similar in appearance. Blond hair-his short, hers long--set faces, and firm grips on large Bibles.
"Just follow the pattern you were taught in Visitation Class," added Gerald.
At that moment, the door was opened by a young woman in her early twenties. She was dressed in cut-off jeans and a tight black leather top. Behind heavy mascara her eyes were neither unfriendly nor welcoming. "Andrea Blake? We're from Grace Church," said Gerald with a crisp smile. "You visited us one Sunday with--" he checked the note in his hand, "Mary Reynolds."
On cue, Gloria said, "Are you busy? Might we chat with you?"
The woman hitched up one elbow and muttered, "I s'pose." She led them into a musty, smoky living room. Jody gulped when she saw the room was already filled with five lounging bodies, two female, three male, clad in jeans and wearing the same non committal look.
Gerald and Gloria were not disconcerted. "Ah, you have company," said Gerald, as he sat in a chair near the door. "I hope they too will listen to what-we-have-to-say." He gave Jody the go-ahead signal.
She swallowed and began. "I'm told you work with Mary Reynolds. H-how nice of you to visit our church."
"She kept bugging me," said the young woman from the depths of an overstuffed couch. "I went finally to make her lay off me." Jody blanched and was silenced. She could sense Andrea Blake's friends sharing a silent laugh.
When it was clear his protege was unable to continue, Gerald said, "Well, well; to some it might seem like er-bugging." His voice became solemn. "You will not get-by forever laughing. Those who reject the-precious-truth will be lost-in-a-fiery-hell."
Jody looked at her senior with surprise. In Visitation Training Class they were instructed to fill fifteen minutes with small-talk before broaching spiritual matters.
Gloria chimed in at this point. "And here are some tracts to point you to the way-of-life."
"Life can be hell," said one of the lounging bodies.
Gerald's eyes rebuked the young man who had spoken. "You are privileged to live in a country which possesses freedom and great material blessing. How would you like to live in the slums of some third-world-country?"
This made Andrea Blake curl a cynical lip and say, "Maybe you should go there and try out your sermons. See if they can change anything."
"Read the tracts," said Gerald. "The hope-of-heaven will satisfy." He looked at his watch. "We must leave. So nice talking with you."
"What is your church like?" asked one of Andrea's female friends. She was looking at Jody. "What did you do the last time you met?"
"We had a pot-luck supper," said Jody.
Gerald have her a sharp glance. "You might fill that in a bit more, Jody. Don't forget the magician who, after his act, gave-the-gospel to the kids."
"What are the kids like?" asked another voice.
"We have a fine group of young persons." This came from Gloria. She eyed the sprawling bodies. "They keep their appearance nice and dress like Christians."
This remark made Gerald take action. He hustled the two women toward the door. Andrea rose suddenly and came over to clutch Jody's arm. "Don't they see they only make us angry?"
Her intensity halted the retreating group momentarily; but Gerald quickly recovered himself. "You are possessed by the spirit-of-destruction," he said, as he reached for the doorknob.
"And what possesses you people?" taunted Andrea. Her mocking voice made Jody stand still.
"Jody!" Gerald's tone was a command; and since she was accustomed to submission, she went after him. At the door, though, something compelled her to turn and answer Andrea's question.
"A spirit called Triviality," she said, sadly. "He also destroys."
When the trio were finally outside the closed apartment door, Gerald and Gloria exchanged meaningful glances. They pulled Jody along the sidewalk, one on either side of her.
"As you probably noticed," said Gerald, "we were anxious to leave that place."
"And really, Jody!" Gloria's voice was exasperated. "Another five minutes and I believe you would have been completely brainwashed. I pegged them as unreachables immediately."
These words pierced Jody's dazed thoughts and broke the spell. She yanked her arms away from the couple and turned away. She did not look back. At the peeling door, she ignored the doorbell and simply stepped back into the living room.
Andrea looked up and laughed. "Were you ex-communicated on the spot?"
"I would like to tell you," said Jody quietly, "about Jesus Christ, the One who builds..."
Three months later the Women's Missionary Society of Grace Church were holding their monthly meeting. The project that day was rolling bandages.
"Who gets these?" asked one lady.
"Some hospital in Africa."
"No, Laura, you're wrong. It's some place in the Middle East."
Laura shrugged a shoulder. "It's all the same."
"Did you hear about Jody Larson," came a sibilant whisper.
"Yes! The Official Board is very upset, my husband says."
"She and her band of misfits are taking over some teen hangout in the city and calling it Agape House."
The women shook their heads and pursed disapproving lips while busy fingers continued rolling white sheets.
One younger woman looked up. "I asked her about it," said Mary Reynold. (All ears stretched closer.) "She said we should stop arguing about whether church pews should be padded or unpadded and start building shelters for an empty, hungry world."
The words sank into the room and brought absolute silence. Even the busy fingers stopped. Then a calm voice shattered the moment. "Poor Jody has fallen into the modernistic error," said Gloria Steele. "We work for heavenly buildings. Our job is to get people saved, and Grace Church has always been faithful. After all, we have our Visitation Training Class." Bodies rustled once again and fingers rapidly resumed their rolling. Conversation held a hint of relief. Of course! Everything was just fine.
Written and copyrighted (c) 1998 by Letitia L. Zook.
This work may be copied and distributed freely, but only in its entirety, including this copyright notice, and without any changes.
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