The
Drunk at My Window
It was nearly midnight and
I was brushing my teeth, already half asleep, when I heard him. He was shouting
and mumbling at the same time. Probably a drunk calling to his drinking buddy,
I decided.
Half an hour later, I could still hear the man shouting, though I couldn't make out anything he was saying. Enough was enough! I decided to call the police.
As I passed a window, I saw
that the man was standing under a streetlight. He was older than I had imagined,
bare-chested in the cold, and yelling right in my direction.
A young man stopped to talk
with him. A moment later he took off his jacket and put it on the old man. I
was astonished. The two hugged, and I could tell that the young man was praying
for the drunk. A couple passed and did a double take, but the young man didn't
seem to care what they were thinking. Eventually the modern-day Good Samaritan
put his arm around the old man, as if to say "I'll get you home," and
with that the two were gone.
I stood at the window
awhile longer, thinking about my own Christianity. I had to admit that my
reaction to the annoying drunk had fallen far short of what Jesus' would have
been. Jesus wouldn't have called the police. He would have stopped. He would
have talked with the man. He would have given him His coat. He would have
listened to him, comforted him, and prayed for him. And it might have changed
the old man's life.
When I eventually went back
to bed, I thanked God for sending that young man to help both the drunk and me.
And I prayed to do better next time God sends a needy person my way.
Then the
King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I
was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a
stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you
visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. … Inasmuch as you did it to one
of the least of these My brethren, you did it to
Me."—Jesus, Matthew 25:34-36,40
Angela Souza is a
member of the Family International in Brazil.
While We Can
I slept and dreamt that
life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold,
service was joy.—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941)
* * *
Only during the few years
of this life are we given the privilege of serving each other and Christ. We
will have heaven forever, but have only a short time for service here, and
therefore must not waste the opportunity.—Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1933)
* * *
Even if I knew that
tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.—Martin
Luther (1483-1546)
How to build a
better world in one simple step
Wouldn't it be wonderful if
everyone would simply do what Jesus said to do—love our neighbors as ourselves?1 But when people don't treat others with much
love, they're going to have problems—and they do! It can safely be said that
all of the evils in the world today have their root cause in people's lack of
love for God and one another. Nevertheless, the simple love of God and one
another is still God's solution, even in such a complex, confused, and highly
complicated society as that of the world today. If we love God, we can love and
respect others too. We can then follow His rules of life, liberty, and the possession
of happiness, and all will be well and happy in Him.—David Brandt Berg
(1919-1994)
________________
1. See Matthew 22:39.