WHY I WOULD BE JEWISH?

Born and raised a Christian, I was the child of a Methodist minister and I was the child of a devoted Christian mother. I had strong Christian Presbyterian as well as Methodist grandparents. All of these strong people taught me from example. I do not remember one of them preaching to me. Not even my preacher father. If I did something wrong I was corrected because I was wrong and not because Jesus wouldn't like it.

I would ask Dad a question and instead of giving me an answer that he thought was right, he would give me a list of references and I could read them and perhaps find my answer there. That was the same way he preached his sermons basically. He gave some clues and you had to solve the puzzle yourself.

My paternal grandmother would sing in her kitchen about Jesus. Her voice was a precious sound I loved. She was always busy and she was almost always doing something for someone else. And, of course, she and grandpa were always taking us to church.

Working in Tulsa,OK in my adult years lead me to a community in The Bible Belt that is a place like I have never seen. Surrounded by evangelical universities and, at the same time, harboring a very large Jewish community, I saw and met interesting people of both faiths on a daily basis.

As a Christian, it was hard for me to deal with the Christians of that area. Strangers would ask me if I was "saved" or if I was "born again". You could not disagree with them on anything because they were doing God's will. One person wanted us to cash a personal out-of-state check and I explained we would have to place a 10 day hold on the check until it cleared the bank it was drawn on. This person raged and announced it was money from God. I responded that it would have to go further and probably should even have a longer hold on it then. He did not think that was as funny as I did.

Oh but my customers and dear friends among the Jewish community. They came into the bank to deal as customers of the bank and not in search of converts to Judaism. I knew of people from this community who anonymously gave to causes throughout our part of the state and city and did not brandish their gifts as badges of greatness. I made friends in this group of people and we never discussed our religious differences but we tried to live examples of our faith.

We are all odd ducks and every religious community has its kooks but lump me with the ones who want to search their faith and not have it crammed down their throats. Let me set an example by being a good person and not believing I'm a perfect person.

I see so much more of Jesus' Jewish heritage in his teaching as he walks humbly living his faith by example. Thankfully many of us Christians have learned to follow the path without storming the gates but we can easily be lost in the crowd. My one greatest hope is that I am leaving my grandchildren a good example.

I must add this tidbit I just heard at Olive's: Maya Angelou says when people say to her, "I'm a Christian." She responds, "Already? How have you managed that?"