Dirty.
Discarded.
Disheartened.
Three painful words to depict society's "untouchables."
What the world sees:
The recovering drug addict that has done hard time in prison. A man that now suffers from HIV, chronic pain, and the constant struggle to relapse. Dirty.
The little boy with Autism who is abandoned by his family when they realize that he is not "normal." Now he is an orphan. Discarded.
The only teacher in a classroom with twenty special needs students. She has very little curriculum, very few supplies, and very little parental involvement or support. Her paycheck is barely enough to keep food on the table. Disheartened.
Pure.
Valued.
Joy.
What Jesus sees:
A beloved son that He desires nothing more than to find rest in His arms. A son for whom He would battle and conquer all of the temptations of the enemy. A forgotten past, a bright future. Pure.
A child that brings so much joy to His heavenly Father and to the lives of all the people that he meets, with just a simple smile. A life with a purpose. Valued.
A bright-eyed daughter with a servant's heart. A continual source of refreshment to those that she encounters. A vessel for pouring out His love to His children. Joy.
　
Would YOU be willing to extend your hands, your heart….to touch the "untouchables?"
I was confronted myself by this very challenging question. Not just in theory. In real life.
To be completely honest… being approached by a recovering drug addict at a camp in the middle of the Moldovan wilderness…made me a little bit uneasy. My first impression of this man was based mostly on his colorful language and questionable tattoos. But even more based on the knowledge that I held about his past. So now I had to decide. Would I be able to talk to him with his gruff exterior that he had built up to survive in prison? Would I be safe sitting next to him or extending a hand to him during our team games because of the HIV coursing through his blood?
So I prayed. I asked Jesus to let me see this man how He sees him. Not how the world sees him. The answers then became clear. Yes, I should talk to this man; because behind the tough walls he has built, he is hiding a gentle heart. Yes, I should show him Jesus' love by being willing to touch his hand during silly team building games; because Jesus would want nothing more than to hold this man's hand. And I am so glad that I listened. Not only did he turn out to be a much better interpreter than the camp provided to us, but I was incredibly blessed by this man's story.
He is a warrior.
He is a beloved son.
It is for freedom that Christ's blood has set him free.
I had the opportunity to share Jesus' love with this man and pray for him. But my new friend opened my eyes.
Opened my eyes to a world beyond exteriors.
Opened my eyes to seeing the light in the darkness.
Opened my eyes to the lovely in the midst of the unlovely.
Opened my eyes to opportunites to touch the untouchables.
For me touching the untouchables has looked like:
Laughing, really laughing with a hardcore felon. A high five. A handshake. Seeing hope on his face.
Playing a memory card game on the floor alongside the boy with autism. Saying "Bravo" to every correct match. His look of accomplishment, priceless.
Holding the precious little boy with down syndrome in my arms. His smile…contagious. His dance moves…contagious.
Praying for the teacher in the classroom to bring her some much needed encouragement in English, even though she only speaks Romanian. The sense of peace that followed was amazing.
Touching the untouchables has made me fall even more in love with Jesus.
So I ask….
Do you put yourself in situations to touch those that society deems untouchable?
Are you falling more in love with Jesus by loving Him in all of His beloved children?
　
I encourage you to open your eyes, your hearts, and your hands. I encourage you to journey with Jesus. I encourage you to touch the untouchables.
You won't regret it.
(Me and my very special friend Igor at at an elementary school in Cahul,Moldova).
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'…" -Matthew 25:40　
<3 Cassie
