Park Benches

So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory.
-Romans 15:7

This summer I stumbled into a new habit after noticing something that had never caught my eye before. 

I'm out in parks almost every day for at least a few minutes-- running, sitting, or walking-- (otherwise I become a less than ideal version of myself). A few weeks ago I sat down on a bench in a state park with my journal, and I noticed a small metal nameplate on the backrest. I made note of it and the little message on it. The following day, in a totally different park, I noticed another bench with a name honoring a woman's years of service and conservation. And I started to realize: 

Almost every park bench remembers someone. 

So, for the rest of this summer, every time I've encountered a name on a park bench, I say their name out loud and give a quick prayer of gratitude for their life. It's been a meaningful practice that reminds me of the many beautiful lives in this world that go largely unrecognized. These aren't presidents, athletes, or politicians. They are just regular people who were remembered by someone who appreciated their presence.

I'm guessing not too many people notice those names, since most of my life I haven't. But there's still a beautiful legacy there. Because all of those simple benches together create an entire culture where we can find rest and notice beauty. That's a big deal.

Beyond my new prayer practice, I've been thinking about how a park bench is a pretty interesting metaphor for a Jesus follower. I started to think it would be pretty cool to have my name in tiny letters on a bench in some random, beautiful place. I know most people would never read the nameplate but that's ok, because the value of the bench is that it invites rest and reflection. It doesn't discriminate in any way.  A park bench is fully available for the stranger, the lonely, the joyful, the friend, the thoughtful, and the troubled. I think it's a beautiful glimpse into what the people of Jesus are called to be. When I sit down on a park bench, I almost always rise back up better than when I sat. The calm, the stillness, the rest.... it restores me in some tiny way. What a vision for how God's love could flow out of each of our lives.  

I had a conversation with some friends in their 20s last night about the reputation that Christianity has developed over the past few decades. Statistically speaking, emerging generations view Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, and obsessed with political power. A 2024 Pew Research poll found that 6 out of 10 Americans think that churches are too concerned with money and power.  

We're not exactly known right now for leaving a legacy of welcome, simplicity, rest, and beauty. 

And yet isn't that exactly what we declare that Jesus did for us?
In our grocery list of mistakes, Jesus continually reminds us that we are accepted. In our state of angst and busyness, Jesus invites us to find deep rest and gives us permission to lay down our burdens. In a world that can be cold and cruel, Jesus gives compassion and reminds us that God's beauty is always at work to restore and redeem. In our loneliness and sin, Jesus says, "I am with you. I forgive you. I welcome you." 

The gospels show us that Jesus is available to anyone, inviting them to come and find a place with him where they can stop their endless efforts. Grace, sort of like a park bench. 

Even as I write this, I know it's a bit of a weird metaphor.
But the next time you see a memorial bench, maybe you'll take notice of the name in a new way with gratitude, and ask... 
Am I receiving the invitation of Jesus to come rest in his beautiful grace? 
Is my life helping to extend that same invitation to those I meet today? 

Just imagine a world full of the park bench presence of God emerging in each of our lives. Isn't it hopeful? 

Jesus, let your love be multiplied through my life to others. 

Peace,
Keith