Red and Yellow, Black and White
Eyes To See
Eric—you could always spot him at vacation Bible school.
I remember wondering why he wore long-sleeved flannel shirts and long pants on hundred-degree days. His scotch-taped glasses rode low on his always-runny nose, while he tried to edge out one word at a time.
Eric was the one who wouldn’t let his mom drop him off at church because, as I found out later, he was ashamed of the old car she drove. That’s not all he was afraid to show. If you rolled up his sleeves, you could see scars from where his dad had put out his cigarettes.
The first thing Eric would do when he got to vacation Bible school was dive into the cookies (reserved for the rest of us, I was sure). I hated this selfish move. But Miss Marla would quickly go to him and help him with the cookies and a glass of milk or two. (I didn’t mind that part, as long as he didn’t drink my Kool-Aid!)
I would wonder:
Why such special treatment for him?
What had he done to deserve this attention?
Eyes to See
I’ve heard it said, “Always be kind to everyone you meet, for you never know what trials they’re facing.” How true. It’s incredible how often we judge others by their appearances and actions while judging ourselves by our good intentions. Fail.
Lord, give me Your eyes to see in others not their obvious garments but the beautiful creation You’ve designed each of them to be. May I see the wounds that cry for Your healing, the shame that begs for Your cleansing. May I love the ragamuffin that each of us is. And know that one day, You’ll make all things right.