Mr. Write's Page

In Athens recently, I stopped for lunch at Inoko Express, a small Japanese place where your meal is prepared hibachi-style on a grill. (In the kitchen, not at your table like Benihana.)

The deal is, you place your order at the counter and go find a table. A server delivers your meal when it’s ready. Good place, good food.

So, there I was. I ordered my lunch, took a seat, and got out my phone to catch up on the news while I waited.

At that moment, the peace was interrupted when two grey-haired couples came through the door. They were nicely dressed and looked to be in their 60s.

They walked single file down the aisle leading to the counter. A tall woman in the lead was speaking a little too loudly over her shoulder to her companions in a measured, somber tone.

“… in our struggle against the forces of evil. The apostle Paul knew he had to guard against being unworthy. Paul said we need to help each other fight temptation as we strive toward our eternal home.”

The restaurant, which had been busy with conversation moments before, fell silent. The only sound came from two overhead TV sets tuned to a basketball game. All eyes in the place, I’m sure, were on the foursome.

When they reached the cash register, the young girl on duty braced herself and smiled nervously. “Dine in or take out?”

“Dine in,” replied the tall woman, looming over the counter. “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior?”

The cashier looked panicky. “Well, I…”

“The apostle Paul said, ‘Let the word of Christ swell within you.’ We must sing to the Lord Jesus with grace in our hearts.”

“Well, I…”

“Paul told the Corinthians we should admonish one another to be faithful. The world is filled with lusts and temptations. Our duty is to protect the souls of our brothers and sisters.”

“Yes, ma’am. Uhh… can I take y’all’s orders?”

One of the men behind the tall woman spoke up. “Helen, the grilled shrimp is very good. It comes with grilled vegetables and fried rice and your choice of sauces.”

Helen turned her attention to the menu on the wall, studied it for a second, and placed her order. She stepped aside and stood quietly while her companions did the same.

Then they picked out a table and got seated. They were directly behind me, my back toward them.

The room remained silent except for the drone of the basketball game. After a few moments, Helen resumed where she had left off.

“Paul told us to instruct our children in the ways of Jesus. If our children are trained instead in the ways of the world, they will be lost. The forces of Satan are experts at deceit.”

She continued until the cashier apprehensively delivered their meals. Everyone dug in.

At that point, the conversation drifted away from Paul’s admonition that we need to admonish one other. I finished my lunch, dropped off my tray at the designated spot, and turned toward the door.

As I opened it, Helen returned to her topic.

“Paul told us to remember the lessons of the Old Testament,” she intoned. “The mistakes of the children of Israel should be examples to us, or we will fall prey to –”

I missed the rest because the door closed behind me, but I got the picture.

St. Paul the Apostle in prison, writing an epistle to admonish the Ephesians.