The Beggar
I was walking in a parking lot a couple nights ago with my wife and we encountered a man that was asking for money because his car broke down. I did not allow anything else to come out of his mouth until I said NO and turned my self righteous self away and continued on to our destination. I judged without knowing and acted without caring. It could be that he was a con man or it could be that he was in serious need with no where to turn. What would you do in a similar situation?
We are conditioned to respond to such people in a particular way, granted there are those moments we tend to remember where we did give the beggar a dollar or two. Let's say that the person I encountered was scheming to con me. If, stay with me here, IF I had of acted in such a way that reflected love and caring could that man's life have been changed? My response was what he expected and knew the numbers if he ask enough people someone would say yes.
Was my response what Jesus expected? Did he know that I was going to elevate myself to such a status that I could not feel the pain of others? I believe that answer to be an emphatic yes. With my wife by my side I simply cast judgment and walked away.
I may be making more out of this than you think I should but lets just say for the sake of conversation that I had engaged that man with a little more love. I took five minutes to hear his story. There may have been a blessing for me that God was using him to send.
I share this with you to say this, please do not miss the opportunity to be a servant. As we mature in our religious life our faith is usually put on the back burner. We begin to act in such away that reflects our religion and not our spirituality. Take a moment to absorb that and it will make sense. Everyone that we encounter just may be a messenger from God. They may not seem good on the surface however the lesson learned if given a chance just might put your faith back on track.
I missed the chance with that beggar and if the truth were to be told I will probably miss more. I can say this though, I am aware that I placed myself above him and I am also aware that I stereotyped him into a category that he may not belong in
I do not want to see life from the top or 30,000 feet, I want to see it at ground level. Eye to eye, face to face, heart to heart, and soul to soul, we are a people of God yet we at times can act like people of, well something besides God.
So where were you when the beggar came begging?
peace to you
Dale
We are conditioned to respond to such people in a particular way, granted there are those moments we tend to remember where we did give the beggar a dollar or two. Let's say that the person I encountered was scheming to con me. If, stay with me here, IF I had of acted in such a way that reflected love and caring could that man's life have been changed? My response was what he expected and knew the numbers if he ask enough people someone would say yes.
Was my response what Jesus expected? Did he know that I was going to elevate myself to such a status that I could not feel the pain of others? I believe that answer to be an emphatic yes. With my wife by my side I simply cast judgment and walked away.
I may be making more out of this than you think I should but lets just say for the sake of conversation that I had engaged that man with a little more love. I took five minutes to hear his story. There may have been a blessing for me that God was using him to send.
I share this with you to say this, please do not miss the opportunity to be a servant. As we mature in our religious life our faith is usually put on the back burner. We begin to act in such away that reflects our religion and not our spirituality. Take a moment to absorb that and it will make sense. Everyone that we encounter just may be a messenger from God. They may not seem good on the surface however the lesson learned if given a chance just might put your faith back on track.
I missed the chance with that beggar and if the truth were to be told I will probably miss more. I can say this though, I am aware that I placed myself above him and I am also aware that I stereotyped him into a category that he may not belong in
I do not want to see life from the top or 30,000 feet, I want to see it at ground level. Eye to eye, face to face, heart to heart, and soul to soul, we are a people of God yet we at times can act like people of, well something besides God.
So where were you when the beggar came begging?
peace to you
Dale
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