Let me tell you about a boy named Alex.
The first day we went to the gypsy neighborhood, a couple of us had to go tell the children what time we were meeting that day.
That's when I met Alex.
He looked at me and talked and talked (In Romanian).
I answered…and off he sprinted.
I wasn't sure if I'd see him again.
But he showed up…
He began banging on some tables…some sort of beat.
Anyone who knows me knows that my ears are hypersensitive, and piercing or loud noises penetrate to my very bones.
I remember looking at Jacquelyn, fingers in my ears, saying, "This is gonna be my kid…"
And I just watched him and smiled…
He was a fellow Israelite with me as we chanted: "TAKE HIM DOWN!" for little David in our Goliath skit.
He embraced me because I let him push the stop button during musical chairs.
Day after day he would drag a table over in front of me to show me his latest beat.
Alex
The last day, Dutzi (one of our contacts in charge of that ministry) said, "He's inlove with you."
He didn't want to play any games with the kids.
He wanted to sit next to me on the couch.
When it was time to go, he hugged me.
He looked up, and tears were all over his face.
Dutzi said, "He never does this…what did you do to him?"
I didn't know…I asked the Lord, "What did I do to him?"
You saw him.
I saw him.
We get to choose who we give our attention to.
If love is shown through attention…through us seeing someone…are we choosing to see?
Sometimes I don't.
Sometimes it takes too much energy.
We went to baby-sit some kids that night, and there was an 8 year old boy that constantly said:
"Look this! Watch!"
Sometimes I didn't look. I didn't want to have to respond. It was easier not to look.
But what happens when we choose to look?
When we choose to not be afraid of the response that might be required of us.
When we choose to lay down our lives…to lay down what we might be doing in that moment…
that seems to be so important…to look.
When we choose to surrender our eyes…and let the Lord use even our glance…
What happens?
Maybe nothing…
Or maybe they'll finally feel love. Like real LOVE.
A love worth giving up everything for.
A love worth giving up playing a favorite game…
Just to sit next to the one who sees them.
Because they finally realize He sees them…
Choose to see them.
See the Alex that the Lord is placing in front of you.
