There was a naked man curled up under the overpass as we were walking away from home. The same man was there, half-covered, on our way back.
I passed by him. I passed by him like the religious people passed by the injured man in the story of The Good Samaritan. I walked by on the other side of that sidewalk. And in my heart I wanted to be walking by on the other side of the street.
We were fifteen feet past him when my teammate stopped. She turned to me and said “I feel like we are just ignoring him.”
And I was standing there thinking “You’re for sure right I’m ignoring him. He’s a man, and he was buck-naked this morning. I’m not planning on looking at him long enough to figure out if he’s wearing any clothes now or not.”
But she turned around, went back, and shared the love of Christ with him. The love that is not stopped by nakedness (Rom 8:35). As I stood awkwardly in the background and locals stopped to stare, I saw love in action. I saw kind words spoken. I saw care for physical needs through giving. I saw faith accompanied by deeds.
Please pray that I would grow beyond my fear into walking in love like that of Christ. Please pray for each overpass that I walk under and each cardboard bed that I walk by. Please pray that I would remember the peace that Christ has given and reach out in the midst of it (Jn 14:27).
Thank you for your support as I am in process. May I grow each week in loving more and more like Jesus did.
Thank you for the vulnerability! I think what is beautiful is that you recognized a weakness and you learned from it. I pray that God continues to give you the eyes of compassion and love that Jesus had. Love you roomie!