It's easy to recognize His presence in certain situations; the music from a violinist on a subway platform, a pianist in Washington Square Park or a pan flutist on the street have at times moved me so much that they stopped me right where I was. The sometimes soul touching expression of an artist who's body, soul and instrument intertwine to create something so sublime reminds me to rise above the everyday world that surrounds me. A child's sudden and hearty laugh; music to my ears - clearly God is present in this. The warm "good morning" greeting that I share with so many people on my morning commute. In my head I hear Louie Armstrong singing
"I see friends shaking hands, saying 'how do you do,'
they're really saying, 'I love you.'"We are told that "God is Love" and when I think of this I feel that we are all connected in His Love or at least we can be, if we choose to be.
It's not so easy at other times. Some people are just rude and disrespectful; there's a lot of THAT to be found on my commute as well. It's hard to find God in those people and when I think about it I realize that my response SHOULD be to act in such a way that those people are able to see God in me. Too many times this realization came after the fact, but that's besides the point......
Then there's the homeless and the panhandlers. They are ubiquitous. And every single one of them is asking for something. I know it's not a stretch to find God in the poor and marginalized; He clearly identifies with them in scripture - but nonetheless it is a challenge. There's that one guy that gets on the LIRR train in Penn Station. He just got out of the hospital and only needs $14.37 to get home. Every time I see this guy, he just got out of the Hospital. He's always short a very specific odd amount and he always hops off the train before the doors close. I just don't know.
This morning I'm walking up to the street level from the subway, and there's this homeless man halfway up the stairwell asking for something so he could have breakfast. I'm not proud to say that I walked past him along with a dozen other people. Once again, I'm thinking to myself that God is present in that man and I just walked past him. I have a $2 promotional gift card from T*Mobile for Dunkin Donuts which expires today and which I was planning on using. They have that "2 for $2" deal. Well, I don't need two sandwiches and it's nothing for me to give him one so I use the gift card and I return to the guy saying "I'll split my breakfast with you" as I pull one sandwich out and give him the bag with the other sandwich. He looks me straight in the eye and says "Thank you Beloved."
Maybe you had to be there, but "Thank you Beloved" is not what people say in that situation, right? A simple "thanks" or maybe "God bless you" but not "Thank you Beloved." That's the kind of thing God says, isn't it?
Yes it is. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior in the New Covenant, we are then covered in HIS blood. When God our Father sees us HE sees Jesus, HIS Beloved. How awesome to hear yourself called Beloved.
ReplyDeleteHe was seen and heard, and THAT was as important as the food. Thank you for the lesson.
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