I laughed to myself as I watched this little guy tirelessly run around with these baskets begging for attention from anyone who would give it.
When he noticed me smiling at him he grabbed two carts, wheeling them side by side, and stopped right in front of me and said:
"This is a train, and I'm gonna need one ticket please!"
As I looked at his huge smile, my heart began to melt. I pulled out an imagenary ticket and dramatically plopped it into his hands.
His eyes widened the size of saucers as he raced off to grab another cart.
Sure enough, he came back rolling three carts side by side.
"Am I gonna have to give you three tickets now that you have three carts?" I asked.
He looked up at me, eyes full with laughter, and said:
"Yup! After all, I am pushing thirteen wheels!"
(Each cart has 4 wheels, and he had 3 carts)
I held in my laughter and smiled at him.
"How many wheels?"
He looked hard and long at those carts.....
"thirteen!"
I picked up the steno pad I had brought with me to pass the time and patted the seat next to me.
"Come here, let me show you."
His eyes lit up as he saw me pull out my pencil and pad of paper. He wiggled his little self right next to me so could see my drawing. I drew out the three carts, each with four wheels, to show him there were actually 12 altogether.
He nodded excitedly and asked me if he could draw me a picture. He drew me and him sitting on the bench doing math. This little boy was pretty smart, I might ad, he caught on pretty fast!
Eventually, we ended up playing hangman. My first puzzle was "Jesus loves you." When he finally guessed it, he looked up at me and said: "Oh! I love Jesus SO much!"-Again, heart melting!
A couple more puzzles later he wrote: "I want to go to your house." Hook...line...and sinker...I was in love with this little boy!
Right there and then, it hit me. Love. It's actually quite simple. We humans tend to make love this complex thing that doesn't make sense and can't be figured out. But, if we step back and really take a look-love is sacrifice of self.
I write this not to sing my praises, for it is by God's grace that I choose anything good. But, what if I had chose to ignore? What if I had just kept on staring at my steno pad trying to think of something to write (ironic huh?). That little boy would never have felt that he mattered. He mattered to me and he mattered to Jesus.
Often, showing love is just taking your eyes off yourself and focusing on the person in front of you. Showing them that they have worth. Not only are they worth something to you, but they are worth everything to Christ!
I walked out of that laundry mat that night completely full. (not just my clean clothes bag either:) I was full of joy. I truly felt that through the Holy Spirit's leading, I was able to make a difference. Maybe not a huge one mind you...but a difference all the same.
Jesus Christ showed the greatest example of love. Even though it cost Him far more than we will ever be able to understand, He gave everything for us. His throne, His power, His Father...
How can I, the object of such love, not show the same love to others. My ever present flesh is constantly telling me that self is more important. My flesh strives to make Christ's sacrifice look small and insignificant. But we must not yield to temptation! Never forget the cross. The death of the innocent to save the guilty is the greatest act of love that this world will ever know!
To show love is to crucify self, yield to the Spirit, and give all to Him.
And there is no greater fulfillment of joy on the face of this earth, I assure you!
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."-John 15:13
-one who has been given much
Luke
12:48b
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