That Christmas, I found myself driving home from class in Dallas and I stopped at a red light when a man in his 60's came up to my window asking for change. His voice was kind and his smile happy and gentle. Many of his teeth were gone and he wasn't the kind of dirty that you get in just a few weeks. I dug around for money and gave him all the change I had...he took my hand and blessed me.
Victory!
uhh, but wait...as I left the light and turned to get onto the highway, I felt sick at my stomach. I realized I hadn't even asked him his name. You see, Mother Teresa had stressed to ask the homeless their names. Her belief was, "Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." Ah, loving the whole person.
Sad that I couldn't pray for him by name, I cried on the way home. I prayed God would send this man, nameless to me but not to our Lord, my guardian angel and that he would have mercy on his life and grant him salvation.
No doubt, I've got such a long way to go. How about some illustrations of total unselfishness and compassion? These rock me to the core!
In Romans 9:3 Paul writes, "For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race," To be cut off from Christ for the sake of someone else? Gee Paul, really?! This still challenges my heart.
And our Lord. Certainly Christ IS in living form of this very sentiment since he choose to be cut off from God to save you...and me. WOW! Let those words sink in.
Now, let's have a little fun, shall we?
How many of you know what movie the title quote is from?
It's a beautiful line from the Elven Princess, Arwen in the Lord of the Rings that she prays as Frodo is dying after being stabbed with the blade of one of the nine Nazquls (Ring-wraiths). She is a very strong woman in the film and here she's giving him her right as an immortal to pass into what they call the 'Blessed Realm' and choosing to remain in Middle Earth as a mortal and suffer death instead.What an unselfish prayer!
It's an inspiring scene worth watching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpGZnQeGVV8
Compassion and selflessness because the slave is our brother. Jesus, I want to grow. I want to meet other's physical and spiritual needs. AND I want to know them by name! *grin*
My prayer today is for God to keep blessing us by putting us in situations where we can grow. Today may you focus on loving those around you...loving the whole person.