The Woman

I met her a few nights ago.  An old woman dressed in a ragged blue sweater.  She was crumpled on the ground, sitting on an old potato sack.  Her face was turned downward and before her sat a little bucket for money.  She is an old beggar woman. 

I pretended not to notice her.  I mapped out a path to get around her without having to stop.  The people flooded by--some glancing her way, others pretending not to notice her...like me.  There she sat.

The disgusted look on the faces of those who passed by her was undeniable.  You are worthless. You are scum.  You are on old beggar woman.

I walked past her.  Ten steps past where she sat, my heart sank into my stomach because I heard a whisper. "Abby, did you see Me?"  It's that gentle voice that is becoming more and more familiar to my soul.  I quickly pulled out my wallet, threw some small bills in her bucket and zipped away.  No smile, no pat on the back, no eye contact--just fulfilling my duty.

I hear it again. "Abby, I'm thirsty.  Won't you give me something to drink?" "But local people don't even like cold water!", I reason with myself, trying to coddle my flesh.  I don't want to.  People will think I'm crazy.  "Abby, I'm thirsty" The reply was soft, yet stern.

I reluctantly stepped away to a little store and purchased a bottle of water.  I unscrewed the cap and walked back to the woman.  "Now, kneel beside me.  Touch me.  Look into my eyes."  I knelt down beside her and placed my hand on her shoulder.  She slowly looked up at me.  I gazed into her eyes--and I saw Him.  I also saw the reason why I didn't want to look her in the eye before.  Its because eyes are the window into a person's soul....that's where pain lives.

She's no longer an old beggar woman.  

She is a human being with feelings and emotions

She is a woman with a story

She is daughter of the King

She is royalty

I handed her the water and said, "Wo gei ni (I give you)" She clasped her hands together in disbelief and began to move her body back and forth exclaiming, "Xie Xie! Xie Xie! (Thank you, thank you!)" I sat for a moment--paralyzed.  I was looking into the eyes of my Beloved.

I walked away and felt sick to my stomach.  Its not that I gave an old woman some water...............  Its that I almost missed it.

I almost missed him.

I was disgusted by him.  I tried to avoid him.  I tried to throw money in his face to fulfill my own fleshly conscience.

I began asking myself how many times a day do I miss him?  How many times a day do I ignore those gentle nudges?  

Way too often.

Have you seen him today?

Maybe in the grocery store.  Maybe at the post office.  Maybe that person who knocked on your front door.  Have you seen him today? If so, how did you respond? May our hearts be transformed to see.