a different view

(note: i have yet to write out my first encounter and resulting relationship with Bobby -- i'll try to do that soon for those of you who may be reading this without knowing the background)

While i was at Bobby's last week, i saw a picture i had never seen before. When i took a closer look, it was a picture of Bobby at my age -- holding his 4year old daughter and 2 year old son. i knew that Bobby had kids. i knew that he had been married. i knew he had brothers and sisters, and even met a few. But in all these months of seeing Bobby, i never saw him as someone's dad, someone's son -- that a child or wife, or parent were out there somewhere, praying, hurting, seeking their loved one. That in his 20+ years of addictions and wandering, someone was out there missing their dad.

As i drove away, i started seeing other people differently -- not some guy crossing the street, but someone's lost son maybe on his way to or away from home. Not some kid bobbing her head to the radio, but a daughter who may have tuned her parents out a long time ago. i started to ache for people, and pray for them, and not just pass them by.

Maybe that's how God sees the people we pass by so easily. While we're on our own agenda or trying to check out of WalMart as quickly as we can, God is hurting for the people we try to beat to the open cashier. God is pleading with us to see the wayward son, daughter, mother, father and to join Him in rescuing them.

Then i started aching for a different reason -- why haven't i been aching like this? Why have i been so self-centered? Why is seeing people as God must see them so difficult, so unnatural for me. Even as i write this, i know that my heart has begun cooling off to that previous cold state.

Jesus, speaking of the last days, warns us in Matthew 24:12-13, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." And John records the revelation of Jesus' words to the church in Laodicea, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16).

Dear God, Heavenly Father who ever pursues us with Your faithful love, keep my love hot and my heart tender for others just as Yours is. As You help me to see others as You do, motivate me to love them as you would, for your name's sake. Amen <><