About a year ago I was in downtown Atlanta and this homeless man asked for some money. I told him I didn’t have any (which was a lie) and then walked a few more steps and turned around and asked what he wanted from chickfila! which was a total God thing. The man was in awe that I even asked him such a question. He was so thankful that I was allowing him to order whatever meal he wanted. He was so concerned about the price and I told him to get whatever he liked. For the rest of that day I just kept thinking about that man and how cool it was that God has used me to do something so simple,but to that man it was so huge. Later that day a thought crossed my mind that I am no better than the homeless guy I bought food for regardless of either of our situations God loves us both unconditionally.
Today at church our pastor told us a story about a college student coming into church with raggedy clothes and tangled hair and he sat on the floor of the sanctuary. This old man came in, and all of the congregation was silent. They thought the old man was going to get on to him for his appearance, but he sat on the floor next to the student so he wouldn’t have to worship alone. What a small act of love that made such an impact.
God doesn’t care what we come to church wearing. He loves us no matter what our appearance is. If that’s not a special kind of love then I don’t know what is. Who are we to be the judge of other people when we too are sinners ourselves. We have no room to be the judge of anyone regardless of what we have heard about them. It is our job to love them the best way we can whether that be smiling at them or genuinely asking them how they are doing. God didn’t create us to have this mindset of “I’m so much better than you because I have these shoes, and this job, and a house in this neighborhood.” God doesn’t care about our material possessions AT ALL. He cares about our hearts and how we take care of each other as a church in Jesus name.
Society has molded us into people with the mindset of if I have this and you don’t then I am better than you, and I heard you did that and that really makes me better than you. But why are we so concerned about other people’s past mistakes? What good does that do to compare ourselves to them? None. What really matters is how God feels about us. How God sees us. How God sees them.
Jesus, help us to be reminded of your almighty love for us. Open our eyes to what you are doing in this world right in front of us. Help us listen for your guidance and truth amongst the loud clamor of evil that surrounds our world. Help us to be a light in this dark world. Thanks for loving us even when we are at our worst; even when we compare ourselves to others claiming we are “holier than thou”. You are absolutely amazing and please wrap this world in your love.
