When you set out on a trip, you just never know who the Lord is going to place in your path. I’ve flown next to silent businessmen, focused on their newspapers or laptops, elderly women who chat about their grandchildren, college students heading home on break, moms with little ones, and everything in between.
I have never, and I mean, NEVER sat beside a fellow traveller who stores his AA batteries IN his ear!!
Duracell in one ear and Energizer in the other.Yikes!
This young man celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday and was flying home to visit friends and family in New Hampshire. He slept most of the flight (Tim said I couldn’t sneak up and take pictures without his permission) but we had a lovely chat during the landing. He had suffered from a collapsed lung six months ago and still had a bad cough. I told him I had five children and they would NOT believe me if I didn’t have a picture of his ear, um, shall we call it, art.
Do not look at this picture if you are squeamish.
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I’m serious. It kind of freaks me out a bit.
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Okay, but I warned you.
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“What will your Mom say?” I had to ask my body pierced companion. “Has she seen your ears yet?”
“No,” he laughed. “She’ll be surprised.”
Ah, yes indeed. A very interesting young man, far more intriguing than the beautiful young woman sitting across the aisle on the next flight. I found it amusing to pair them up in my mind; what a couple they would make, I fancied briefly.
My next thought was sobering. God looks at our heart and not on our outside appearance. He cares about our soul, not our adornments. We look at a person’s hair, clothing, and accessories and we arrive at judgments and conclusions. If she does not know the Lord, the woman in expensive boots, cream sweater and gold jewelry is just as lost as the lip, nose and ear pierced, “residentially challenged” traveler from the first flight.
Jesus was born in the rudest of accommodations, and died while men gambled for his clothes (which were, apparently, His only possessions). Yet He is the Prince of Peace, the King of Glory. Surely we must learn to see like God with the eyes of our hearts, rather than looking on outward appearances as the world does.
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to who you belong? James 2:5-7
Lord, help me to recognize the lost and be bold in bringing Your light into their lives. Give me wisdom to know how to reach out in love and truth.
Kathy
Project 365 – Day 298
Miss you already! It was boring at the Y today. Have a great time!!!
Ohhh he seemed genuinely happy to have you take his picture anyway
That’s all God asks of us is to be nice to be people…they’ll see His Love shine thru. You weren’t rude, or mean. You engaged him…he most likely was blessed by the fact that you didn’t ignore him or worse, make nasty looks in his general direction as I’m SURE others did…
((Oh and that’s not the WORST I’ve seen for the ear stretching thingies…ewwwww)))))
Have a great time! I know mom and dad are loving having all the kids!!
We have been seeing the ear stretching thing going on around here especially when you walk the malls. I always cringe because it makes me ears hurt every time I see it. Though, like you said . . . God looks at the inside (our hearts and soul) not the outside
This post brought to mind a church in AZ . .Tommy Barnett’s church. He saves the first few rows in his church for the homeless. Yep, the homeless. In know in many church, (my husband has spoke in hundreds) the first few rows are reserved for maybe the board or other influential people in the church but it made my heart melt when we saw the homeless being given the best seats in the house. Yes, they were smelly, dirty etc . . . .but there they were all in church and worshipping God!
Great blog!
Amen to your prayer ..
Me too Lord, “help me to recognize the lost and be bold in bringing Your light into their lives. Give me wisdom to know how to reach out in love and truth.”
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Oh the ear …
Yea for letting God’s love shine thru you to your traveling companion. Don’t you know he was blessed. Well- at least amused! You are a wonder, dear sweet Katherine.
Have a great trip! Are you going to the WM&Mary football game? I read in our paper that it is at noon today.
I love you. Aunt Kate
Yeah, I’ve been seeing more of those ear lobe holes/stretching as I walk the malls lately. I just don’t get it. But I also don’t get paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to have botulism shot into your skin to get rid of wrinkles.
As you pointed out, in the end it doesn’t really matter. The true prize is eternal life in Heaven and to get there we need to worry about what our soul looks like. Not our bodies.
I am afraid I live a very sheltered life and spend most of my time with Christians and homeschoolers or even Christian homeschoolers.
Traveling was a good reminder of how insulated I am at times. If I want to be used by God for the furthering of His kingdom, I have to reach out beyond my comfort zone.
Not something I do easily.
Great post, Kathy. I’m sure you were a light for Him.
Good thoughts. I’m glad that you went up and talked to him, as some people just look and stare and whisper. Always better to be friendly and outgoing….you never know when God’s going to work through you!
Wonderful post, Kathy. And I like Tim, live way to sheltered of a life. I’m sure the young man enjoyed you talking to him and who knows what that kindness might bring forth.
My step-son that no longer lives with us {he’s 18}
has the same type of “thing” going on in his ears, —
I have a hard time looking at them, but I try to concentrate(sp?) on saying things that have a loving spirit ~
My parents used to remind me that you can get more bees with honey, than vinager!
:] :}
LOL
Great post! love is what is every hearts longing. truly to be loved is often the root of all longing
I love this post, Kathy!
So true…our preconceived notions keep us from loving others. I love that you asked him what his mother would think. Open and honest…it got him to chuckle while seeing that you are not interested in judging him from afar. You have such a gift for being bold yet sensitive!