Monday, January 4, 2010

On a Trip To Walmart...

Sawyer and I got out and about early this morning to go run some errands, which included a trip to Walmart.
We walked in the front doors holding hands, and there to greet us was a severely handicapped man siting in a wheelchair. As soon as he saw Sawyer, his face lit up, and though I could barely understand what he was saying, I heard one thing very clearly through his slurred speech, "Hi there, pretty girl."
Without one bit of hesitation, Sawyer walked right up to him, smiled, and took his hand and held it in hers. I'm sure this man typically never gets a "hello," or even so much as a look in the eye. The sad truth is, he's probably just ignored most of the time. I stood there and talked with him a second before going to get my shopping cart, and when I walked away, a light bulb (yup, just like the ones in those cartoons) went off inside my head.
Sawyer didn't see a handicapped person. She didn't see a "disability." She didn't see anything wrong with this man at all. What she did see, was someone was was genuinely happy to see her, and spoke kind words to greet her. She felt comfortable around him, because he was just a very nice, gentle person...so comfortable that she went to embrace him.
And then, I had a thought: Isn't that just like Jesus?
So, as I plop Sawyer in the front of the shopping cart, I start to think some more, and tears start to stream down my face. Yes, right in the front of Walmart. Luckily, it was early enough in the morning that it wasn't crowded at all, and I only passed one woman who saw me crying. She probably thought I was crazy, but that's okay. Actually, it might have been nice if she'd asked my why I was crying because I could have told her it was because I was happy. Without knowing it, my two year old just showed me a perfect example of what Christs love for us is like.
Even though we are sinners, when Christ looks at us he never sees a "handicap," or a "disability." He just loves us. I think that's what Jesus meant when he said we should become like little children. For the most part, children are quick to forgive, and (especially the younger they are) they rarely hold grudges. They are unprejudiced. They are joyful. And most importantly, they have a blind faith.
I so desire to be more like that. To look past age, color, disability or whatever else and just love on people. Because everyday, that's what Christ does for me, even though I don't deserve it.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:1-4

2 comments:

Jordan Burt said...

Wow! You made me cry at work beast! Kids are such a blessing and teach us just as much as we teach them. You have such a special little girl!

Adam Holly Grace said...

That is so very true Erica!!!