As I left my apartment to walk into the center of our city, five minutes a way, I saw emergency vehicle lights on the bridge over the train tracks.
Traffic was stacked up. “I wonder what that is.” Bus number 317 was stopped on the bridge and the police were trying to untangle the jam of cars by directing them another way. In front of the bus a man lay prostrate on the street. I suppose he was alive but he wasn’t wiggling a lot.
I guessed that he had either been hit by the bus or that he had been riding a motorcycle and the bus got him. Honestly, I was afraid he was dead or dying and I prayed as I walked by on the sidewalk, continuing into town. Several policemen milled around waiting for the ambulance that squeezed through the traffic, several minutes later. Just after I crossed the bridge, I passed by a restaurant. Happy clients ate and drank on the veranda.
The contrast struck me: Less than fifty yards away a man was perhaps dying. And here life and joy continued as usual.
I didn’t criticize. It’s almost a natural part of city life, because if you stopped to gawk or cry each time you saw an accident, you’d spend a lot of time at it. Mostly, you save your tears for things and people which directly affect your life.
If an accident like that had happened in the village where I grew up, we’d have had something to talk about for a month. But, here … well, it’s not exactly normal but honestly with all the traffic it’s a wonder that more people don’t get run over.
That’s why an incident in Jesus’ life strikes me so hard: “”And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.” (John 9:1) He saw!
“Hey country boy, this is the big city. If you stop for every pitiful beggar, that’s all you’ll ever do.” Jesus didn’t stop for every beggar, but His Father whispered that there was something special about this one—He wanted to heal him.
We’re touched by all kinds of needs but when God especially wants us to act, He lets us SEE! It won’t let us go. It moves us inside. You can’t react to every need, but there will be needs that God wants you to respond to. At that moment you’ll SEE.
And if you’re not seeing anything in your life, you’re probably not walking very close to the Lord. We can’t respond to every need, but if we love the Lord we’ll be responding to a need or needs that He has shown us.
How does this work? If you have time, look at this short video from a couple of not quite so young friends who saw a need and who are making a big difference in Africa (I love the music, but I love their heart even more). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0S0piyzJXU
When we “see” and respond our life lights up. It might get harder but it will get richer. Very seldom is an abundant life and easy life. Tell me now, what do you SEE!
Has God showed you a need? How did you respond to it? How has it affected your life? I’d be glad to share your responses with our readers.