* * *
Demas particularly remembered one bright day by the sea. He had been hoping to take a boat with some fishermen that day, but he could find no one willing to go out. He couldn’t understand it, since the day was perfect for fishing. But it seemed people were all going to hear some itinerant preacher, or rabbi, or whatever they call them here. The fellow was named Jesus, a carpenter from Nazareth who apparently had appointed himself to preach and teach. Out of curiosity, Demas followed some of the fishermen who had left their nets to hear this so-called “miracle worker.” Demas thought he would have a good laugh and a good story to tell his fellow Freedom fighters. But Demas didn’t laugh that day, nor did he tell his friends about his little excursion.
What he saw when he arrived at the appointed place where the crowd had gathered was a tall, rugged-looking young man with an infinitely sad expression on his face. He was surrounded by a group of helpers who kept the milling and shoving crowd from getting to close to him. Demas was tempted to leave…but he didn’t. Instead, he pushed his way through the throng to where he could hear the man.
This carpenter talked persuasively of a world of love, a world where love would conquer hate, and a world where a man should and would love his fellow man as he would himself and his God. The voice caressed and soothed, Demas thought.
“It reaches out to you in love, massages the innermost depths of your soul with love,” thought Demas. Never had he heard a voice like that of the carpenter. “It bathes you with love, and leaves you as washed and as clean as a little child freshly scrubbed.”
Demas sighed and wished it could come true, this kingdom of love the man had talked so compellingly about. But, of course, that was foolish, wishful thinking and dreaming. That approach simply could not be practical in this world. Even this man with his ever-so-gentle voice could not have love enough for the whole world.
Demas noticed the waning rays of the sun and suddenly felt hungry. He had brought no food with him, and obviously, there would not be enough food to feed the huge crowd. Why there must be hundreds, maybe even thousands here. As he got up, he saw a small boy carrying a basket of bread and fish walk up to one of the carpenter’s helpers and offer his meager rations to help feed people. Why, that tiny amount would not even feed the man’s disciples, let alone the thousands gathered. Demas was amused and, at the same time, touched by the little fellow’s gesture.
“With his power of persuasion, this Jesus would have been excellent in the forum and public debates at home,” Demas thought as he hurried down the hill to meet his friends.