I was walking down the street in Cambodia past an old market. Their were street vendors selling smoothies, or noodles, or doners. Their were tourists and locals walking around but it wasn’t crowded. The market was full of vibrant colors because the fruit and the clothing you had to choose from.
I was on a mission. I had 30 minutes to get juice and lunch and take a tuk tuk back to the hotel were I was staying. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man coming up to me to beg. He had dark Cambodian skin, wrinkles, and a plad shirt. I don’t know what he want but he wanted something.
I didn’t pause. I didn’t look up. I gave him the Cambodian hand gesture for “no” and kept on walking.
I didn’t realize it until later but I don’t even know what color his plad shirt was. Your peripheral vision can’t see color (your brain fills it in). I didn’t even glance up to see what this man looked like. I wish I had.
I shouldn’t remember this moment that happened in an instant and in passing. But I do. I do because almost instantly I realized I how I had just treated that man. It wasn’t Christ-like at all.
I read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and I see Jesus do all kinds of things I never do. I can find countless scriptures where he even commands his followers to do things that are so radicle I would never consider doing them.
Jesus tells us to “give to everyone who asks of us.” To me that sounds absurd. I have limited means and limited abilities. But when I “saw” this man I realized two things: that God has unlimited means and what I have that he needs isn’t necessarily physical.
My actions belittled that man; he wasn’t even worthy of being seen but I’m carrying the Holy Spirit in me and God sees him. I didn’t show him that. What I have that he needs is Jesus and even smiling at him and politely saying “no” is showing him the dignity he is worthy of; it is showing him who Christ is.
What would it look like if I really did give to everyone that asks of me? What would it look like if I carried food and money around and gave it until I had no more? And when I had none left to offer what would it look like if I took the time to see them, or share the gospel with them, or at the very least show them they matter. All of these things are showing them who Christ is.
If we give until we have nothing God will bless us and provide for us but even if we have nothing we have more than most people. When we have nothing left to give we have Jesus and pointing people toward Jesus is more important than food or money. God cares more about where we spend eternity than He does about our physical needs.
Give to everyone who asks of you. Give generously and in abundance because what you have to give is far greater than food or money.
