It’s really just the beginning of the month, so there hasn’t been much time to try living this one out. Generally, I try and align my life with Christ, and see people how he sees them, but I wanted this month to be very intentional about seeing past a person’s exterior, and seeing them how they look to God — a precious and beloved child.
At the end of my month of KINDNESS, I had two opportunities to show compassion. I passed up them both, much to my regret. As I was driving home last week, however, I had another opportunity to show compassion — and also try to see with Christ’s eyes. There was a homeless man asking for help at an intersection. He was very grizzly and had a noticeable medical condition with his legs that caused him to limp. It was clear he had been homeless for a long time, and that some spare change wasn’t going to help get him back on his feet.
I had a box of granola bars in my car from our weekend drive to Portland, and I gave him a couple. His eyes were starkly blue under his shaggy hair. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “God bless you. I am so hungry.” I didn’t have anything else to offer him — no change, no water — so I just said, “God bless you, too.” And he responded, “He just did.” I know it sounds strange, but it felt like such a beautiful moment between me and the homeless Jesus. I felt like I actually saw this man, his need, his brokenness. A very small but meaningful part of me felt like I loved him like Christ loves him.
We all make choices, and some of them lead us down paths that aren’t the best, but when it comes down to it — we are all people, we all need help, we all need forgiveness, and we all need to be compassionate to everyone.
As I watch the bitter bickering over the 2012 presidential election, my heart breaks. I know that there are reasons that people believe what they believe, but we have to remember that more than anything the choices we make and the words that we say affect people. Not policies or budgets or platforms or laws. People. And you know what Christ loves? People.
Next time we’re spewing the hate or spouting rhetoric or even vehemently discussing the things we’re passionate about, I implore you to think about the person on the other end of your statements. Jesus loves those people just as much as he loves you. Be Matthew 25 to them. Treat them as you’d treat Jesus. See them through his eyes.
[...] really good about myself and can even start to think of myself as better than others. Even after talking to the homeless guy the other day, I felt a little prideful. Like I’d been “redeemed” from messing up at the end of [...]