It was a cool late fall Sunday. Our church services were held at one of the oldest local concert theaters in town. A team of us would show up at O-dark-thirty to load the instruments, set up the stage and the cameras and projects for the service. After set up, we would clean up the remnants of the concert the night before which would not be appropriate for children or just in general for a church service.

Someone would always bring in breakfast for the team, which was always appreciated. We had a meeting this particular day and as we walked out we noticed a homeless man sitting outside. A few members went out to talk to him. I was not out for their conversation but I am certain they tried to talk him into coming in unsuccessfully. I then went out and talked to him, introducing myself and he shared his name with me “Gary”. We talked a bit and I tried to talk him into coming in out of the cold as it began to rain and get windier, but he declined. I went in and got him a cup of coffee and some breakfast and brought it out to him. I sat out with him, talking to him as he ate and drank the coffee, and then invited him in again. He came in with me this time.


I found him a seat and talked with him briefly before the service began. As the music began, I was operating the cameras. Many of us noticed a few young adults wandering around the outer edges of the theater with notepads. Before the sermon began, the homeless man left without me even noticing, as well as all of the young people.

We are supposed to be representatives of God. I did what I was supposed to do, or did I? We are also meant to be humble. I have to say I did represent God well with this gentleman, but I remember patting myself on my back with a “That a boy”, when I was able to bring the gentleman in, when no one else could. I felt very ashamed after.

Two weeks later a gentleman came up to me, introducing himself to me, “Hi, my name is Gary, I was here recently.” The light bulb came on. He did not look anything like he did then. He shared his story: "I am a professor at the university. My students and I were doing research on homelessness. He went undercover as a homeless man. He told me he had sat outside of other churches and been told by some of them that he needed to leave. We were the only ones which showed him compassion and invited him in. He also told me, one thing he came to recognize, which he wasn't even aware of until I looked him in the eye and conversed with him, was that he yearned for someone to notice him, not treat him as if he was invisible. Looking him in the eye made all the difference in the world. He saw things in a different perspective, which he did not expect". The story his class was researching was written in the “Independent Newspaper”. There was no mention of the feelings he had of feeling invisible and other feelings he shared with me, which I felt would have made the story, but there was a mention of me and my daughter. (Which again brought back my feelings of shame thinking about how I had given myself a brief pat on the back, before I realized what I was doing.

1 Peter 5:5 --  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

 

Hmmm...I messed up on being humble. I was God’s representative, sharing God’s love, until I become smug thinking about what I DID.

Psalm 34:18 -- The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

How many of us are brokenhearted, or have been? I know I have. 

This Christmas season, let us appreciate what we have, our gifts: our spouses, children, family, jobs, shelter over our heads... Frequently we do not recognize how blessed we are. There are others around us which are living on the streets, feeling hopeless, looking for love...How many of them do not have a relationship with God? No wonder more suicides or even just thoughts of suicide occur during the Christmas season. Maybe it is you...God is our hope, our salvation. The biggest gift we have been given is the grace and mercy received by the spilling of the blood. OUR HOPE COMES FROM CHRIST.  

My mind goes to a song written by Collin Raye, “What if Jesus came back like that”...

What if Jesus came back like that

On an old freight train in a hobo hat

Will we let him in or turn our back

What if Jesus comes back like that


Will we recognize who Jesus is, or will we look down on him because he is not what we are expecting?


Jesus came into this world, not as a king, but born in a manger. His disciples were killers and tax collectors. The worst of the worst, but they were God’s children just as You are God’s beautiful creation. There is a brighter tomorrow ahead of you...