Compassion

 But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need
 and closes his heart against him,
how does the love of God abide in him?   John 3:17

By now you’ve probably heard about the story gone viral of the brand new preacher who had an idea to teach his congregation about compassion.  He asked a  friend, who was a Hollywood make-up artist, to do him up to look like a homeless man.  His friend obliged and created a remarkable master piece. Professionally done up with grit, grime, overgrown hair, raggedy beard, and tattered clothing,  the preacher then stood outside the walls near his worship building, prior to the church service.

The pastor later explained about his experience.  His said his undertaking had earned him $20 and an apple.  (not much from a congregation that numbered in the hundreds). He reported that quite a few of his church members had been concerned to find this indigent standing outside the church walls, and asked him to move along…up the road...as this wasn’t a place where he should be.  He mentioned the children were mostly nice to him, although when they went to ask their parents to  help out the old man, the parents turned away.  He said the greatest personal offense to him was just not being looked at; people mostly ignored him…pretended he wasn’t there....didn't exist.

After all the congregation went inside…the old homeless fella walked in the doors and wandered up, and sat in the front row.  He said he could hear the uncomfortable whispers rising up from the pews.  A church elder stood up and said that there was a visitor that would like to say a few words to the congregation.  Can’t you just imagine the silence that must have come over the crowd, as the unwelcome guest walked up to the pulpit. He began "I came here today to talk to you about compassion." The Preacher then shed his tattered coat, his filthy wig and his fake whiskers and a gasp grew among the members.  The preacher then continued on with his sermon and spoke about compassion… 

He said that one woman literally sobbed all the way through the service, and many  others hung their tearful eyes and guilty heads in shame.  He said he didn’t mean to make his congregation feel so bad, but he realized that his lesson in compassion had hit the bull's eye with them.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but wonder what I would have done finding a homeless man begging outside our church doors. Actually the truth is, I don’t wonder at all….I would be the one ignoring him, refusing to even look his way.

In this Christmas season as we hear the bells ringing, let us all be reminded of the compassion that our savior showers on us.  We are tattered, hopeless, unkempt sinners....as undeserving as the old homeless bum, begging for a buck; yet our Lord looks past our failings, our unworthiness, our quilt and our filthy rags and dares to come up close, breathe in our stench and wrap us in his pure, holy, forgiving arms.

My prayer for you and me: "May the grace and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ so move us that we in turn reach out and share that compassion with others."

...and perhaps it’s time for me to start  looking into the eyes of the homeless.

Email me at:  smallsteps4bigresults@yahoo.com