It was a cold winter's day that Sunday. The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked to the church. As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost laying down as if he was asleep. He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet with holes all over them, his toes stuck out. I assumed this man was homeless and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church.
We all fellowshipped for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man laying outside. People snickered and gossiped but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me. A few moments later church began.
We all waited for the Preacher to take his place and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened. In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down. People gasped and whispered and made faces. He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit he took off his hat and coat. My heart sank. There stood our preacher ... he was the "homeless man."
No one said a word.
The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the stand. "Folks I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today." Then he started singing the words to this song. "If I can help somebody as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a word or song. If I can show somebody that he's traveling wrong. Then my living shall not be in vain."
THINK ABOUT THESE.
Many of us fall short of these things, we quickly judge people around us, when we see a neighbour, colleague, associate, friend, fellowship member with a sad/squeezed face, do we quickly call them snubs and kill them with our judgements? you dont even know what he or she is passing through. We oppress d poor or people with less power, we want to have everything while we know of some people around us that have little or nothing.
Do you wait for that friend or family to call or text you even with your unlimited call and text allowance when you know that person has not topped up his or her phone for many months? We only want to give to those that already have because of what you will get in return. When we know someone is going through a difficult phase of life, do you condemn them more or pray for them?
When someone confides in you, do you go telling your spouse/partner/friend about everything that has been said and pretend as if all that has been said is still confidential? Can people trust you? Are you a giver or just a Collector? Some keep on buying and buying even those things they don't need all because its on offer, they keep storing and storing stuffs until it goes Out of date.
No comments:
Post a Comment