I was in New York City this past weekend, and while the family was shopping the M&Ms store, I noticed this person lying on the road. On one side of the individual is a bicycle lane, and on the other side is the lane of travel for trucks, cars, and buses. While this lift may provide some level of cover for the person lying there, how was this the spot this person chose to sleep in?
The person lying here, being ignored by everyone who passes by, was born. They were off to such a great start considering the popularity of abortion in the 21st century. They grew up with a family dynamic and probably attended school for many years. Who did they become?
Were they off to New York to create a life chasing a dream before they ran out of money and had no way to go home? Was going home never an option? Did somebody offer them a needle at some point in their life, and instead of a one time thing, they ended up addicted and dope sick? This is a life and a story lying in the middle of the street.
When we were leaving the city, we traveled through Penn Station where a disenfranchised individual was waiting by an access door for it to open so he could sneak through without paying. As we walked through with our suitcases, I told him to stay back. The door closed, and we did not allow him to steal. My family looked back at me. My conscience attacked. And the Holy Spirit reminded me of this person laying in the road, waiting out the rest of their life. I paid his fare. While he cannot do anything for me in return, I pray that my card tap put him on a train that will help him get his life back on the right track.
I cannot save every person–not on the street, not in my career field. What I can do is take one person at face value and give what I can: a train fare, a smile, a drink, a snack, a pair of socks, a listening ear. In listening to one man Saturday, the importance of sharing the Gospel cannot be understated. He told me because I am white I was shown Jesus; but nobody cares about a black man. He learned this young, and it has been engraved on his heart. I don’t know what his circumstances were, but I am so sorry for the hurt that he experienced that led to such a belief.
Jesus Christ died the same death for me that he did for that man, for the person under the lift, for the person overdosed in the train station, for the man that just needed a fare, for the Muslim, for the Jewish, for the Buddhist, for the Hindi, for every single person who has not accepted the Gospel.
“13 For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:14, English Standard Version.
“34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-46, ESV
Everything points back to the Gospel!!
