To be Godly or to be worldly

[Jesus-take-the-wheel]

Last night, as I walked out of the grocery store, I was faced with a choice. A choice to be Godly or worldly. There was a man standing outside, asking for money to buy himself a bread. Now, it was pouring and most people seemed to ignore him in order to run to their cars for shelter.

The ones with umbrellas, walked past him as if he was nothing, just standing out there in the pouring rain. I admit that I too barely took notice of this man as I made a mad dash for my car. Then I heard him shout to me "Miss do you have some spare change? I would like to buy a bread."

I guess I could have been like everyone else and gotten into my car and pretended as if he did not exist but looking at another person out there, with nothing and no one.. broke my heart. So I got out of my car and almost gave him some money but I knew that would do absolutely nothing for this man. Sure, I could buy him bread and go home feeling good about myself but I knew I would later be haunted by memories of him.

I asked him to accompany me to a nearby restaurant and he was refused admittance because he was 'homeless' the hostess took one look at this man and thought he was unworthy to dine among the other patrons. I was shocked. I think my heart broke a little right then and there as I stared at her and the look of disgust she had on her face for this man.

I stood there close to tears, attempting to ask her "How can you treat another person like this?" But I was overwhelmed with sadness and all I could do was choke out "How can you..." before breaking down and tears started running down my face. Finally the line was being held up long enough that the manager came to see what was the holdup.

At this point, my anger was beginning to get the better of me and I just got a room reserved for private dining so my new friend would no longer have to face the humiliation of having to deal with people so concerned about outward appearances that they refuse to be kind and gracious and loving.

We had a long chat and he shared some of his life with me. He had been homeless for a few years and had been living on the streets ever since. I knew then and there I had to do something. There was no way I could allow him to live on the streets. This man did not deserve this. No one deserved it.

Eventually we walked back to the grocery and bought him things he needed but had no access too. We found him a place to stay at a shelter and I told him we would help him get his life back on track. I told him that it did not have to be like this.

That's when I realized, my prayer had been answered. I had been praying for a few weeks before that "Lord... I know I strayed.. and I know I've made mistakes.. but show me something.. anything.. give me an opportunity.. test me once more and show me if I am of you or of this world for I want to be a Godly woman.. not a worldly woman."

This incident reminded me of our daily walks as Christians. We are faced with the choice each day. Should be be worldly or Godly. I guess this is a reminder for anyone who reads it (if anyone reads it) please be kind, be loving and be gently. Let us not forget that he commanded us to love each other as he loved us.

 

[slave]

I have had many stories that replicate this one. And some stories that the doubter wasn't the restaurant person but me. God has given me beggars, drug addicts, and many people of all ages with different needs in way of my step....and trust me I wasn't really looking for them. But I was, at the time, looking for Christ in me. To serve more. To be less of me and more of the Lord that reigns in me. And God simply took those goals to heart in prayer-like fashion , and gave me some tough sacrifices. "Oh how I regret those services"....has NEVER been my end result. Only "Thank You God for the love and blessings you have given back to me for doing so." We too often live by what we ought to give above and beyond or can give based on our evaluations, yet God asks us to give on the resources of Him.

Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow- mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the Spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short.

Yet as seen here in real time, and in my experiences as well, faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. "We know that all things work together for good....." Romans 8:28. so that no matter what happens , the transforming power of Gods providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children and what happens is we see ourselves traveling from one major mission to the next stopping off to pick up something at the store and God see's the major mission in a man wanting bread in a rainstorm. God bless you for His sake but more importantly Thank God for His glory being seen once more in a believers faithful walk.

We will have plenty of time in heaven to simply praise God but we are called to a purpose. A purpose of demonstrating Gods glory to mankind.

 

[Guest]

That's really a nice thing you did... At first, I thought he was a fake homeless (there are many of them in my country) but when I read the whole story I was...amazed. The Lord is working through you. I think some people ignore homeless people because some of them only want money and not food. Someone I know very well once gave a sandwich to a homeless and he threw the sandwich back at him. But thank God not all of them are fakers.
God bless.

 

[Jesus-take-the-wheel]

Well... the way I see it is... God created us us... therefore he loves us all the same.. so who am I to play favorites? I try to treat everyone equally.

 

[secularhermit]

Well... the way I see it is... God created us us... therefore he loves us all the same.. so who am I to play favorites? I try to treat everyone equally.

I had 4 kids and no doubt I would lie saying I don´t have favorites... They know it! By the way. They see my eyes, my words, my attentions (that cannot be hidden) and, by the way, read this and tell me "there´s no favorites"

Mal 1:2 Israel, I, the LORD, have loved you. And yet you ask in what way have I loved you. Don't forget that Esau was the brother of your ancestor Jacob, but I chose Jacob
Mal 1:3 instead of Esau. And I turned Esau's hill country into a barren desert where jackals roam.

Mal 1:2 I have loved you, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, saith Jehovah: yet I loved Jacob;
Mal 1:3 but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.

And Jacob also loved the one he chose... Joseph!

As I also chose to love those I do know.

 

[secularhermit]

Good!
I hope he is aware not to becoming a burden in your life (those who are lazy makes it harder) and those who needed that loving care and attention would walk AGAIN into normality but you said "we", so you were not alone: Good!