A child (we shall call him Luke) was seated all alone in his class not because the teacher punished him to sit by himself but instead, he moved his seat away from everyone else in the class. When asked what had happened, Luke's classmates could not wait their turn to complain about Luke's vulgarities and hostility towards them. One by one (at times, more than one at a time), they spoke about how he had treated them and thus, they were very angry with him and disliked him. Luke, while listening to his classmates, grew in his anger. He breathed faster and more heavily and his eyes welled up with tears of anger.
The teacher stood in front of the class, listening to all the complains. She did not like Luke either as he was often an angry boy who did not treat others fairly or gently. There were several instances of him punching other boys on their faces and being involved in fights in the class. His homework was also not done properly or handed in punctually. A moment of grace fell upon the teacher who, for the first time, gazed upon Luke with eyes not of the usual judgement she had but with eyes of compassion and pity. And a voice from within spoke, "This child is hungry." Immediately, she recognised the "poverty" this child is in. She went on with the lesson, keeping this incident in mind, and called Luke up at the end of the lesson to speak with him. She showed him the reasons his classmates hated him and taught him to be gracious enough to let their nasty comments pass instead of always reacting to them and thereby, starting a fight. The boy seemed to arrive at a new level of realisation when the teacher told him, "You know, I hardly see you smile." It was as though he knew it that he is seldom happy. If he were left to continue living this way, what a miserable and bitter person he would be for the rest of his life.
Looking at Luke, it is easy to judge. He is very tanned, and though just 10 years old, is not adorable-looking like many others of his age. His lips form the shape of a rainbow and looks perpetually angry with the whole world. There really is nothing likable about Luke. But looking at him with the "eyes of God", in love for God, we will find the grace to recognise that this child, regardless of his flaws, is a a child, a son of God. He deserves to be treated with dignity and has the right to be respected, loved and cared for. This child of God is hungry and poor, not in the literal meanings we are so used to but spiritually, mentally and emotionally, he is crying out for love, acceptance and respect. He is miserable and unloved, and it's no wonder he is filled with frustration, anger and hatred. He is so poor. He has no love nor acceptance nor friends to call his own. These are things that no amount of money can buy. This is real poverty. And everyday, he walks into a class filled with people he knows are talking behind his back and disliking him. If we were to put ourselves in Luke's situation, at 10 years old, how many of us can stand tall and feel like we are of any good? Yet, this child was born in the image and likeness of God. He has learned nasty things but nonetheless, lying deep in his heart and soul is the Lord's goodness that was planted in him when he was conceived in his mother's womb.
How many Lukes do we meet everyday in our lives? What is our response to them? Do we condemn them and judge them like everyone else does or do we allow God to influence our decisions to extend a loving and accepting hand? Do we make ourselves available for God to use us to bring peace, love and acceptance to the marginalised, the hungry and starving people in our environment? When the least of our brothers and sisters in Christ are hungry and starving, thirsting, do we offer food and drink? When they are crying out with anger, lacking in love and acceptance, do we offer the love and acceptance and peace to fill their hunger and thirst? If we see the suffering Jesus in His suffering people, can we still turn a deaf ear and feign ignorance? How do we render ourselves responsible towards the needs of others in our community? Do we have "eyes" for the needs that extend beyond our needs and our family needs?
04 September 2010
3.03pm
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