Last semester while I was studying at school, something happened that left an impact on how I believe Christians should behave. I was waiting in line at the café to purchase coffee and noticed everyone’s uneasy reactions toward a certain boy — and I was curious as to why they were acting this way.
Students behaved as if he were plagued with some kind of illness that would spread or that they could easily catch. I watched the situation and saw the boy slowly stumble away. He used a pole to guide his movements out of the café and even bumped into the door. Not a soul helped him or showed courtesy toward him. Not only was he blind, he was dressed poorly and had somewhat of an unpleasant odor.
After I purchased my coffee, I went out to the commons area to study. It was there I noticed, among all the students socializing and laughing together, the same boy sitting at a table by himself.
Did he have a foul scent? Yes. Was he visually handicapped? Yes. Was he dressed poorly? Yes. Should these things have been determining factors in how he was treated by others? No.
I firmly believe we should constantly ask ourselves as we go about our daily lives: How would Jesus handle this situation?
Jesus didn’t just visit the people that were in great health. He didn’t socialize solely with the rich and famous or the well-groomed. Jesus visited the sick, the blind, the poor, the sinners, the outcast, and the beggars.
As I watched this boy sitting by himself, I felt God impress me to go invite him to sit with me — which, of course, led my inner critic to protest: Don’t ask him. He’ll just tell you no, and you’ll look foolish.
But instead of listening to my flesh, I listened to God. You see, it’s not about us. Had I not tuned in to the voice of God, I would have missed the opportunity of hearing this boy’s story of living blind. I would have missed the opportunity of witnessing to him about God.
But you know what really astonished me? This boy was full of faith and joy despite his disability. His sensitive spirit touched me.
This may seem obvious, but we must be aware of the way we are treating others. It’s beyond important to be aware of the message we are sending to this world. Despite conditions and appearances, God created all of us in the likeness of His image.
It is our duty to be a light to others on earth. If they have a pulse, a heartbeat, lungs that inhale and exhale oxygen, and ultimately a soul that will exist somewhere for eternity, we must spread the light of God everywhere we go to all we meet.
It’s easy to lavish love on those in our own social group and economic class. But we should be like Jesus to the ones who are sick, blind, poor, and shunned.
God loves people above all of His creation. He cares for all mankind. And He desires that we share that same love and kindness amongst each other — regardless of our “status.” I am convinced that in today’s society there is an epidemic of spiritual amnesia. We have forgotten what our main purpose is here on earth: to be like Jesus.
Jesus was never a part of a certain crowd or social group. He traveled around spreading the gospel of peace. As we journey through life, we must treat all who we meet just as Jesus would have, spreading love, kindness, and peace.
A. W. Tozer once stated:
“You can see God from anywhere if your mind is set to love and obey Him.”
I wonder what would have happened if I had not obeyed the impression God placed on my heart that day to show kindness to this boy. What happens when we miss our one chance to spread the love and peace of God to someone who desperately needs it — just because we don’t want to look foolish around our friends? If we disobey God’s calling to reach out, we may never know what could have been. We may never know the impact we could have made on another’s life. You may never know the outcome of a simple act of kindness.
You will never regret the acts of kindness you do, but you will regret the ones you didn’t do. Remember: obedience is better than sacrifice.
Obey when Gods calls you to radiate love and show kindness to others. It may be a simple hug or a thinking-of-you card that really blesses the heart of someone else. To love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, and reach the unreachable is to be like Jesus. Be a light that stands out instead of fitting in with a mediocre crowd.