Neighbor Love: I Fail
Today, I was put in a situation that really tested my understanding of neighbor love. Christ told us that the second part of the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor. Well, today I think, no, I know I failed. I had the opportunity to show love to someone who probably needed more than most.
Tonight, after a busy and long day, I was sitting at a stoplight trying to get home, and a man was sitting on the side of the road with all his belongings in a bag next to him. He was holding a sign that said, "HUNGRY PLEASE HELP." All I had to do was roll down my window give him the few bucks I had in my wallet and tell him about Jesus Christ, the bread of life. What did I do? I started thinking about all the bad things that could possibly happen. I reasoned away a great opportunity. I began to think about what he would do with the money whether he would really buy food or maybe buy liquor. I began to wonder if he had a weapon. Basically, I became a utilitarian at a moments notice. I really believed that I could determine the future. Instead of showing love, I became a self-righteous moralist in thinking that he must have done something to deserve to be there. I acted like all the other people waiting there and looked upon that man with a mix of disdain and pity. Just like a Pharisee.
As soon as I began to drive away the Holy Spirit went to work on me. He convicted me of my faulty thinking. He showed me that I was wrong. That man could have just as easily used my money and a few kind words about Christ to turn his life around. He could have one day been that man we hear about in sermons from time to time. You know the one I'm talking about. Someone, out of the blue, stopped and ministered to him, and God used that one encounter to radically alter that man's life. After I got home, I prayed about it. I grabbed a small New Testament, wrote a small note on the inside cover, highlighted Romans 6:23, grabbed a card that gave information about the church I attend, and put my few dollars in it. As I headed back, I asked God for boldness to speak clearly about Him. I was doing what I should have done in the first place.
Unfortunately, when I returned, the man had left. I missed my opportunity. I had played God when I should have been OBEDIENT. I knew that God wanted me to show kindness to that man, and I simply shook my head, folded my arms like an obstinate, stubborn child, and said, "NO!" It times like these that reveal to me that I am really not like Christ at all.
Just wanted to encourage you all not to be like me.
Tonight, after a busy and long day, I was sitting at a stoplight trying to get home, and a man was sitting on the side of the road with all his belongings in a bag next to him. He was holding a sign that said, "HUNGRY PLEASE HELP." All I had to do was roll down my window give him the few bucks I had in my wallet and tell him about Jesus Christ, the bread of life. What did I do? I started thinking about all the bad things that could possibly happen. I reasoned away a great opportunity. I began to think about what he would do with the money whether he would really buy food or maybe buy liquor. I began to wonder if he had a weapon. Basically, I became a utilitarian at a moments notice. I really believed that I could determine the future. Instead of showing love, I became a self-righteous moralist in thinking that he must have done something to deserve to be there. I acted like all the other people waiting there and looked upon that man with a mix of disdain and pity. Just like a Pharisee.
As soon as I began to drive away the Holy Spirit went to work on me. He convicted me of my faulty thinking. He showed me that I was wrong. That man could have just as easily used my money and a few kind words about Christ to turn his life around. He could have one day been that man we hear about in sermons from time to time. You know the one I'm talking about. Someone, out of the blue, stopped and ministered to him, and God used that one encounter to radically alter that man's life. After I got home, I prayed about it. I grabbed a small New Testament, wrote a small note on the inside cover, highlighted Romans 6:23, grabbed a card that gave information about the church I attend, and put my few dollars in it. As I headed back, I asked God for boldness to speak clearly about Him. I was doing what I should have done in the first place.
Unfortunately, when I returned, the man had left. I missed my opportunity. I had played God when I should have been OBEDIENT. I knew that God wanted me to show kindness to that man, and I simply shook my head, folded my arms like an obstinate, stubborn child, and said, "NO!" It times like these that reveal to me that I am really not like Christ at all.
Just wanted to encourage you all not to be like me.
posted by Michael D. Estes at 10:43 PM
2 Comments:
Michael,
Thanks for sharing. You never know, the man you saw may have been an angel.
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it" - Hebrews 13:2
If that is the case, you passed the test because you were faithful by the fact that you came back to the place where the man was. I would have probably just felt guilty and played the 'woulda shoulda' game all night long.
Unfortunately, the 'fear of man' affects us all with our obedience. We have all done what you have done before. Thanks again for sharing.
Thanks for this post, Michael. Your words convicted me of my heart, too.
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