While pastoring another church, John disappeared. John was active in worship, Sunday school, and various ministries. His children participated in their programs. After calling several times and getting no answer, I went to John’s apartment and learned he had moved out about six weeks earlier. He had disappeared!
Several months later, our church van brought twelve guests to spend the night in our Room in the Inn ministry. John was with them. Shocked, I asked what had happened.
John explained that the war, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, dried up his construction work, resulting in bankruptcy. He became homeless and sent his children to his ex-wife’s family.
During supper, he told me about his life on the street, the day jobs he secured, and his dreams of saving his income to get himself “back on his feet.”
While talking, it occurred to me, “He’s a member of our church. I wonder if our other guests were also members of churches.” The answer: each guest was currently a member of a Nashville church. They were so embarrassed by their homelessness that they didn’t attend anymore.
At that point, I no longer saw homeless people; I saw children of God, brothers, and sisters in Christ who were having a tough time.
I now see homeless people from a different point of view. I no longer see them as a category; instead, I realize these are real people, individuals with whom I can relate.
The carry-over effect of this experience led me to see less of another person’s race, color, sex, age, class, education, faith, or other categories while relating to a person. It’s even resulted in my seeing people in my neighborhood, family, friends, church members, and acquaintances as children of God.
Thus, like Samuel, Paul, and Jesus, I try to look upon the heart and soul. I try to see beyond appearances and first impressions.
QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD
Who are some people with whom you will interact today?
Can you try looking upon the heart and soul of that person while relating to them?
Can you try looking at that person as if that person was Jesus?
FAMILY FIELD TALK
Dialogue about the different categories of people your family sees each day.
Dialogue about what categories others may put your family members in.
Dialogue about how it feels to be stereotyped into a category.
Ask how we want others to see us.
Dialogue about seeing others in the same way we want them to see us.
If that person was Jesus, how might you see and relate to her or him?
PRAYER GUIDE
Dear loving God, just as it was not right for people to see Jesus in his day from a human point of view, please help me to no longer see other people from a human point of view. Please give me your grace to love them as the sacred people you created. In this process, please help the other people and me become new creations in you. In your gracious name, I ask. Amen.
