I will never forget the disappointment in his eyes, the look of hopelessness he effortlessly displayed. He didn't beg, he didn't nag, he didn't persist. He just slowly lowered his head and walked away. You could see the slight hope he had as we approached him, but that look quickly faded as I muttered the words with embarrassment and shame, "No, I'm sorry. Not right now." All he wanted was five dollars to buy a sandwich or two from Sonic. That's it.
We just finished a fun night in Thunder Alley watching the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers. We had a great time talking, eating, laughing, and cheering on OKC. We walked back to the car and approached a man walking toward us with a dried-up gash on his forehead, and everything he owned on his back. All he asked for was five dollars. Five. Dollars. I had just spent seven dollars on a burger, and four dollars on ice cream. And here was a man who was literally carrying on his back everything he owned. And I refused to to take the time to carry on a conversation with him, help meet his needs, and pray with him. I know the homeless have a "bad reputation" for spending what little money they have on alcohol, but still, I had two Sonic gift cards in my wallet that I could have easily given him. I will never forget the look on his face. It was the most sincere and authentic look of disappointment I have ever seen. His appearance may not have been the most welcoming, but under the dirty clothes, behind the hopeless eyes, is a man who longs to be loved. A man who desires to have a home. A man who fully trusts that God will provide his next meal. A man, who in reality, is no different than me. That face I saw was the face of Jesus. And all I did was mutter a brief, heartless response, and walked away. If only you could have seen his face, your heart would have sank too. The more I reflect on it, the more I think of Matthew 25:31-46. I urge you to read it. The part that specifically keeps going through my mind is Matthew 25:40, which reads this, "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" That was the face of Jesus. He was the one who was hungry, but I gave him nothing to eat (Matthew 25:35, 42).
I pray for everyone who reads this, and I pray especially for myself, that we would meet the needs of the poor. May we DESTROY the lifestyle of safety, comfort, busyness, entitlement, and selfishness. May we truly live humble lives, willing to live among, and fellowship with, those who may not materially possess as much as us, or may not look the same as us. May we be the hands and feet of Jesus, and have compassion and love for everyone around us, especially those in need. "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." -Jesus (Luke 12:47, 48).
