"The sad reality may be that most Christians in America don't have a real sense of the abiding presence of God because they refuse to clean up the clutter in their lives. And many of us who attempt to clear the clutter tend to get stuck in the log-jam of legalism." - Tommy Tenny
Do you have too much clutter in your life, the kind of clutter that clogs your mind and heart to the point that you don't have the compassion, love or even kindness towards others that Jesus has? Stop what you are doing, forget all the stuff going on in your life right now. When was the last time you were moved to tears because of something you saw that broke your heart? Let's say a homeless person or even just someone who has substantially less than you do. When have you last felt an ache in your heart because you felt the love of Christ so strongly that nothing in your life seemed as important as you thought it was in that moment? When did you see the need and hurt of others as weighing heavier than your problems? And let's face it - your problems are probably (not saying they are not important) something that is no where near as heavy a burden than those who say...don't know where they are going to sleep tonight, or don't know when or where their next meal will come from and haven't experienced this comfort or stability in knowing that they will be comfortable in a very long time. Have you stopped to count your blessing lately? How does that rose smell that you pass by every day?
I am moved and so proud of this man who decided that He was going to do the right thing even though things could have turned out a lot differently. Here is the story:
Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.
But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.
He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."
The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.
"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"
"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"
Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"
"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.
Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.
The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.
When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."
The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."
Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."
Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."
"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."
Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo.
When I reflect on this story, I think: "Wow! This is what Jesus would have done!" Are you willing to do as Diaz did? Why or why not? Are you afraid? Think about this...we pray constantly "Lord, please keep me safe on my way to ___________and when I am at________" Really? Are we that selfish and scared of death? What do we really have to be afraid of? We need to step out of our comfort zone and put ourselves even in the line of danger if God calls us out to. Regardless of the price, because after all didn't He pay the ultimate price? Is He not as worth it that we can't even risk our own lives for the glory of God? Have we forgotten about our purpose? Doesn't God say "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." - Matthew 22:37
He doesn't say sometimes, He doesn't say when we are comfortable or if it fits in our schedule...He says WITH ALL OUR HEART, SOUL AND MIND.
Have you forgotten God? His heart is full of beauty, love and grace that is immeasurable.
I just finished watching the movie 'The Blind Side'. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it as a top of the list movie for the "must see". In short, it is about 'The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.' A wealthy family took in a young boy, named Michael, who was homeless, uneducated and had the most dreadful early childhood. I can't help but be to moved and want to fall on the floor and ball my eyes out when his new mother presented him with his own room and Michael asked: "Is this for me? I've never had one before." and his mother replied "You've never had your own what? Your own room?" And he said "No...a bed"
That tears me apart! I can't even imagine never having a bed, I have always had a bed to sleep in. Can you imagine never having a bed until you were in high school? Can you imagine your wardrobe being the clothes you are wearing right now and an extra shirt you carry around in an old grocery bag and to do your laundry you just rinse your clothes out under a faucet at a laundry mat because you can't even afford any other way. Can you imagine having no home, no family, and no sense of belonging? All because your parents were irresponsible and they ended up with messed up lives that left you alone and abandoned. Can you imagine being homeless because you lost your job or because you just didn't get the education or opportunity to achieve such things? Do you think being homeless is a choice?
Homelessness is not a choice, it's a very unfortunate situation. And so many people take their luxurious lives for granted! Here is a perfect picture of what I am talking about:
So many times we ask God, where are you, why aren't you answering my prayers...have you forgotten about me? The truth is, He is asking us: have you forgotten me?
So, let me leave you with this one last question and really take it seriously and put a lot of thought into it...this is serious: Have you forgotten God in your life?
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