First Baptist Church on Littleton Common    

Horton Hears A Who!

Luke 19: 1-10

Last March, a movie based on the book Horton Hears a Who, was released featuring the voices of Jim Carey and Steve Carroll.  In the story Horton the elephant,  is the only animal in the jungle who is able to hear the voices of a tiny community that exists on a speck of dust which Horton places on a soft gentle clover.    The rest of story is the adventures of Horton trying to protect the small community from the other skeptical animals in the jungle.  He also helps the Whos find their voice while they discover that even the tiniest members of their own community – the ones often overlooked, forgotten and invisible – are important to the wholeness and health of the community.  In the theological treatise The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss, Rev. James Kemp finds multiple layers of theological meaning within the writings of Theodore Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss.  Kemp suggests that Horton the Elephant is a God figure and that Horton “hears the cries of other people, no matter how small or insignificant they may be in the world’s eyes.”  [1]

Listen to the (some) of the word according to Dr. Seuss: 

On the fifteen of (June), in the Jungle of Nool,

In the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool,

He was splashing…enjoying the jungle’s great joys…

When Horton the elephant heard a small noise. 

So Horton stopped splashing. He looked toward the sound.

“That’s funny,” thought Horton.  “There’s no one around.”

Then it heard it again!  Just a very faint yelp,

As if some tiny person were calling for help.

I’ll help you,” said Horton.  “But who are you?  Where?”

He looked and he looked.  He could see nothing there

But a small speck of dust blowing past through the air.

“I say!” murmured Horton.  “I’ve never heard tell.

Of a small speck of dust that is able to yell.

So you know what I think?...Why, I think that there must

Be someone on top of that small speck of dust!

Some sort of creature of very small size,

Too small to be seen by an elephant’s eyes... 

“….some poor little person who’s shaking with fear

That he’ll blow in the pool!  He has no way to steer!

I’ll just have to save him. Because, after all,

A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

So, gently, and using the greatest of care,

The elephant stretched his great trunk through the air,

And he lifted the dust speck and carried it over

And placed it down, safe, on a very soft clover.

“Humpf!” humpfed a voice.  ‘Twas a sour kangaroo.

And the young kangaroo in her pouch said “Humpf!” too.

“Why, that speck is as small as the head of a pin.

A person on that?.......Why, there never has been!”

“Believe me,” said Horton.  “I tell you sincerely,

My ears are quite keen and I heard him quite clearly.

I know there’s a person down there.  And, what’s more,

Quite likely there’s two.  Even three. Even four.

Quite likely…

“….a family, for all that we know!

A family with children just starting to grow.

So, please,” Horton said, “as a favor to me,

Try not to disturb them.  Just please let them be.”

“I think you’re a fool!” laughed the sour kangaroo

And the young kangaroo in her pouch said, “Me, too!”

You’re the biggest blame fool in the Jungle of Nool!

And the kangaroos plunged in the cool of the pool.

“What terrible splashing!”  The elephant frowned.

“I can’t let my very small persons get drowned!”

I’ve got to protect them. I’m bigger than they.”

So he plucked up the clover and hustled away. 

Through the high jungle tree tops, the news quickly spread:

“He talks to a dust speck!  He’s out of his head!

Just look at him walk with that speck on that flower!”

And Horton walked, worrying, almost an hour.

“Should I put this speck down?...”  Horton thought with alarm.

“If I do, these small persons may come to great harm.

I can’t put it down.  And I won’t!  After all

A person’s a person.  No matter how small.” [2]

And as the story continues, Horton the elephant discovers that there is whole town on the dust speck – which is now on the clover.   The teeny, tiny town called Who-ville is filled with little people, houses, churches and grocery stores.   Horton takes up the responsibility of caring for the little Whos despite the ridicule and criticism that he endures from the rest of the animals in the jungle.    He goes to great lengths to care for them, love and protect them.   At the end, Horton helps the Whos find their voice by showing them that even the smallest member of a community does make a difference.   When the other animals in the jungle could finally hear the Whos – the formerly sour kangaroo concludes:

“And, from now on, you know what I’m planning to do?...

From now on, I’m going to protect them with you!”

And the young kangaroo in her pouch said…”ME TOO!

From sun in the summer.  From rain when it’s fall-ish,

I’m going to protect them.  No matter how small-ish!”[3]

This is also the ministry of Jesus Christ who noticed, loved and valued all persons – especially the person who was thought to be unworthy or unimportant.  For in the eyes of Jesus, a person’s a person no matter how small.   Jesus’ ministry was of course for all persons - but during the three years of his work on earth, Jesus kept company with the least, the lost and the lonely.   He hung around with those who had leprosy and epilepsy, those who were paralyzed, crippled and blind, as well as those who were slaves, prostitutes, widows, infants, children, the elderly, Samaritans, tax collectors and even criminals.   

No one was hopeless in the eyes of Jesus Christ. 

Can you remember a time when you were made to feel as if you were an invisible member of society – maybe in school, work, and church or even in camp?  Remember how awful that feels?  You can feel that hot flash of pain rising from the pit of your stomach which just enfolds you and pulls you down into sorrow.   Can you remember how wonderful and life-giving it felt when you were noticed, appreciated, included and loved?   Maybe a feeling of relief, gratitude and hope replaced your pain.

Jesus looked at people with eyes of his faithful and parental heart and saw the unique person that God created and crafted.  As believers in Jesus Christ we are called to love him.  As disciples of Jesus Christ –we are called to serve him and to model our behavior after him.   The attitude of Jesus Christ was grounded in self-sacrificing love – a love that just reflected and oozed grace, compassion and kindness for all persons.    Jesus always saw the person by the side of the road, the woman crawling on the ground wanting to touch the hem of his robe,  a hungry child or lonely adult in the crowd.    He exhibited a very radical and powerful love and we are called to love exactly the same way.

We are called to live and love as Jesus did using this radical love; to look around us and see the invisible people in our society.  We are called to stop being so self-absorbed that we miss seeing with the eyes of our faithful heart.  We are called to pull our eyes away from our laptop, IPods and cell phones and slow down so that we can also see and include those whom Jesus would surely notice and be hanging around with. 

These small people, the Whos from Whoville are just about everywhere.  They are at school, at work, in town, here at church and at camp.  They are the quiet ones – the shy ones – the ones who don’t seek any attention.   They are the ones up in their own proverbial “sycamore tree”, trying to find a place where they will feel safe and be allowed to discover who they are as children of God.   If we only stop and look – using the eyes of our faithful hearts we will see that they are right here amongst us.   They are cleaning up and picking up bulletins after concerts, walking thru town looking for someone to talk to and they are packing their bags getting ready to come to camp – wondering, worrying what it will be like. 

Most likely some of us – were at one time – one of those invisible people.   We felt unworthy and unsure of ourselves, until one day we met Jesus Christ.  We may have been gently introduced to Him by someone who cared for our emotions and treated them as if they were gently lying on a soft clover.  Jesus did this in almost every encounter we read that he has in the Scriptures.   We heard this morning the story of Zacchaeus up in the sycamore tree.  You are familiar with that story – are you not? 

Listen to the word of the Lord.   It goes something like this: 

On the fifteenth of June, in the city of Jericho,  

In the middle of the day, in the midst of a crowd,

Stood short old Zacchaeus and it was here that he vowed,

That his life as a tax collector wasn’t worth all the grief…

Not worth the money, the harassment, for life’s just too brief. 

Zacchaeus heard of Jesus and all that he taught,   

He wondered and pondered maybe all is for naught.

Then he heard the crowd bustle and someone said with a shout,

Jesus is coming… he thought, “what could this be about?

He started jumping and stretching and stood on his toes.

He wondered if Jesus…might rid him of his woes.

“Get lost you loser” and they pushed him away.

He felt belittled, bewildered, it just wasn’t his day.

So Zacchaeus stopped jumping, he looked up in despair.

I’m invisible he mumbled and he gazed in the air.

As he looked an idea popped into this head,

“Being short shouldn’t stop me or hurt me,” he said. 

I’ll climb to the top of this sycamore tree.

For it is Jesus…whom I would like to see. 

“I say” murmured Zach “things look way different up here.

There’s Zeb that old Pharisee – you know he’s missing his hair!

Could that be Bartimaeus jumping up and down?

He was blind…but now he’s getting around.

And up on the hill on the outside of town,

Could that be a Samaritan helping a man on a mule?

Well, it could be - and would be - totally cool!   

Then the crowd and the noise come as close as could be,  

It stopped right in front - but Zach still couldn’t see,  

Till Jesus stepped out, looked up and he said,  

“Hey Zach - you come down - if you may,

For I’m going to your house - to stay.”

“Humpf!” humpfed a voice. ‘Twas a dour Pharisee,

And that young Sadducee next to him said “Humpf” too. 

Why, that Jesus hangs out with those unworthy sinners.

Doesn’t he get it?  It’s we who are society’s winners. 

Zacchaeus felt something he had not felt before,

And he spoke as he stood with his feet on the floor.

Look Lord – on this new day,

I’ll give half my money away,  

If I’ve cheated or squandered or stolen from others,  

I’ll pay them all back – for they are all my brothers.

You saw me – you loved me – you made me feel whole.

I was lost and unloved – you’ve saved my soul. 

“I love you” said Jesus, “I’m here when you call,”

 A person’s a person no matter how small.”

~~

So remember this story from summer through fall.

God loves you and holds you… small or tall. 

You’re molded and crafted by God’s tender hands,  

Go in peace, offer kindness, and with you God will stand.

Amen.

©Rev. Deborah J. Blanchard