HOW DO WE TREAT PEOPLE?

I REMEMBER AN OLD MAN THAT CAME INTO OUR CHRUCH ONE SUNDAY. HE CLAIMED TO BE 92. HE HAD AN ODER ABOUT HIM THAT WAS LIKE NO OTHER. HE WAS FUNNY AND THE CHILDREN ALL LOVED HIM AND WAS ALWAYS AMUSED AT HIS ANTICS. HE WAS AWAYS REMOVING HIS TEETH AND SWINGING HIS CANE AROUND HIS NECK. HE SLEPT THROUGH MOST OF OUR CHRUCH SERVICES.

WHAT REALLY HURTS ABOUT THIS MEMORY IS HOW THE ADULTS GRUMBLED ABOUT HIM. HOW HE SMELLED AND SNORED DURING CHRUCH. THEY EVEN GRUMBLED WHEN HE ASKED FOR A PLATE OF FOOD FROM OUR BREAKFAST ON SUNDAYS.

THE TEENS WERE ALSO VERY RUDE TO HIM RUNNING WHEN HE APPROACHED THEM. LAUGHING AT HIM BECAUSE OF HIS CONDITION. REFUSING TO HELP HIM WHEN HE STUMBLED. HOW FAST THEY LEARN FROM THE ADULTS.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS IS WHAT IF HE WAS JESUS IN AN OLD MAN'S BODY COME TO TEST US? OH HOW MOST OF US FAILED!

THIS OLD MAN IS NOW IN HEAVEN WITH JESUS AND I BET JESUS NEVER ONCE TURNS HIS BACK ON HIM, NEVER LAUGHS AT HIS INABILIES, AND I BET THIS OLD MAN IS WELL FED WITH THE GRACE OF GOD. I BET HE IS SMILING AND HAPPY.

I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THOSE WHO TREATED HIM SO BADLY. I'M SURE GOD WILL DEAL WITH EACH BY THE MEASURE OF THIER CRULETY.

WHAT IF THAT HOMELESS MAN IS REALLY JESUS?

HOW WOULD WE BE GRADED ON HOW WE TREAT OUR HOMELESS? WOULD BODY SMELLS SEND US CRINGING TRYING TO GET AWAY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SMELL HIM? COULD WE OVERLOOK THE SMELL AND BE NICE AND POLITE AND TRY TO MEET HIS BASIC NEEDS? COULD WE FOR ONE MINTUE THINK ABOUT HOW JESUS WOULD WANT US TO ACT? AFTER ALL JESUS WALKED FOR MANY MILES AND BATHS WERE NOT A EVERYDAY OCCURANCE. I'M SURE HE DIDN'T SMELL LIKE SOAP EVERYDAY OF HIS JOURNEY. WHAT IF THIS HOMELESS MAN WAS JESUS SENT TO TEST YOU? HOW WOULD YOU BE GRADED?

WOULD YOU FEED HIM? MOST OF US WOULD. WOULD YOU GIVE HIM CLOTHES? SOME OF US WOULD. WOULD YOU GIVE HIM MONEY? A FEW OF US MIGHT. HOW PROUD WE ARE OF ALL WE DO FOR THE HELPLESS. WOULD YOU GO HOME THAT NIGHT AND PRAY FOR HIM? WOULD YOU EVEN REMEMBER HIM? SO PROUD WE ARE FOR ALL WE DID FOR HIM YET WE LEFT OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE COULD DO FOR THE HOMELESS AND WE TEND TO FORGET ALL ABOUT HIM WHEN WE DID OUR DUTY. HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU THINK OF THE HOMELESS WHEN YOU PRAY? DO YOU PRAY GOD WILL PROVIDE HIM WITH FOOD, CLOTHES, AND MONEY SO HE CAN BE BLESSED THE WAY MOST OF US ARE? DO YOU EVEN THINK OF HIM AGAIN? MAYBE WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE AWAY SOMETHING YOU DON'T NEED ANY MORE.

WHAT IF GOD ONLY THOUGHT OF US WHEN HE HAD SOMETHING HE DOESN'T NEED ANY MORE. WHAT IF HE ONLY BLESSED US WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE WAS GONE. HOW MANY OF US WOULD BE WALKING IN THE HOMELESS MAN'S SHOES? HOW BITTER WE MIGHT BE EVEN TOWARDS GOD AND JESUS. WHAT KIND OF LIFE WOULD THAT BE?

WHAT IF THERE WERE NO HOMELESS, NO POOR, NO ONE IN NEED EVER? HOW WOULD GOD GRADE US? HOW WOULD GOD KNOW WHO IS GOOD AND WHO IS EVIL? IF THERE IS NO EVIL HOW COULD WE KNOW HOW WE WOULD REACT TO IT? IF THERE WERE NO HOMELESS HOW COULD WE EVER KNOW HOW WE WOULD TREAT THEM? HOW CAN WE ANSWER QUESTIONS WHEN WE ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWERS IN OUR HEARTS ?

IF JESUS CAME TO WALK AMONG US TO TEST US HOW DO YOU THINK HE MIGHT DO THAT AND HOW DO YOU THINK HE MIGHT LOOK? THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!