Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [69]
He glanced around the church, looking for Syneda. He spotted her a few pews up sitting with Justin, Lorren and their kids. Jordan, Dex and Caitlin’s daughter, was sitting in her daddy’s lap and waved when she saw him. He smiled at his niece and waved back.
He also noticed his uncle Nolan. Clayton smiled. Nolan Madaris was determined to bring the leisure suit back in style. Clayton shook his head. At the last family reunion, he, Justin, and Dex had purchased an expensive suit for their uncle as a birthday gift. Evidently he hadn’t taken the hint.
The choir members were singing out of their souls, and Clayton appreciated the songs that had the entire church electrified. As far as he was concerned, nothing uplifted a church service more than good singing.
“Today I want to welcome the Madaris family to our services,” Clayton heard the minister saying as he began his morning sermon. His loud booming voice filled the sanctuary. “And since we have an unusual number of men in the congregation today,” the minister continued, “I’ve selected as my subject, ‘When a Man Loves a Woman.”’
This shouldn’t put anyone to sleep, Clayton thought, shifting in his seat to get comfortable. Reverend Moss was a person who believed in seizing every opportunity to preach to anyone he felt needed it. Evidently after glancing over some of the Madaris men in the audience and seeing their bored, half-asleep expressions, he had felt there was a need.
“There has been a lot of talk lately about spousal abuse, and I’ve come to the conclusion that some men have forgotten just how to treat a woman, and that saddens me. I think it’s fitting for us to go back and talk about the relationship between a man and a woman as dictated by the Word.”
Clayton couldn’t help but glance over at his uncle Lee who was notorious for going to sleep in church. He smiled when he saw his uncle’s eyes drift closed. Evidently today wouldn’t be any different from any other Sunday.
“First and foremost,” Reverend Moss went on, “I want to point out that woman was created as a helpmate for man. I suggest all of you go home and reread the book of Genesis. Woman came from man. She was not taken from his feet for the man to walk upon her, like some men enjoy doing; nor was she taken from his hand for a man to knock her around.”
Clayton grinned when he heard a hearty amen from his aunt Dora. Evidently his uncle Milton got heavy handed at times. He shook his head not seeing how that was possible. Uncle Milton was such a little man, and aunt Dora was a huge woman.
“And women,” Reverend Moss continued, glancing around at the females in the congregation, “you were not taken from the man’s head to place yourself above him.” Several loud amens from the men in the congregation filled the air.
“The woman was taken from the man’s side, from his rib, to walk beside him, and to be equal to him. She should be cherished by him, loved, honored and respected. The same thing applies, ladies, for the man.”
The minister went further and spoke of several men in the Bible who cherished the women they loved. He told the congregation about Jacob and Rachel, Hosea and Goma, Boaz and Ruth, and a number of others. He wrapped up his sermon by saying, “When a man loves a woman, he places her above all else, and she becomes the most important person in his life. She becomes his queen.”
By the time the sermon was over and the choir began singing again, Clayton was sure a good majority of the women in the audience were expecting overnight miracles from their husbands.
After the services were over, everyone was invited to the dining area for some of Mama Madaris’s birthday cake and ice cream. The usher who had seated Clayton began leading members and visitors out of the church and toward the back where