Musings from Graceland

CONVICTED BY A THREE YEAR OLD

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Sydney Sample is a leader of an Adventure's In Missions "Real Life" Team in Nsoko, Swaziland. Nsoko is one of the very poorest areas of that country. Here is a recent post from her blog:

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Yesterday we had children from several of the care points we work at come to our base to work on an art project. The compound was covered with children that I had never seen before.

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Immediately there was one child that caught my eye. Only about three years old, he was wearing a tattered shirt, had no pants and was dowsed in dirt. Many of the children laughed at him because he was covered in his own filth; having no bladder control, every time he stood he would wet himself. He was just a baby but was old enough to be hurt by the laughter.

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I was standing behind him as we were getting organized for the art project and I watched as another little boy, also about three, held his hand and sat with him. I saw this little boy reach out in ways that, not only the other children wouldn't, but that many of us wouldn't.

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As I watched this three year old reach out to the untouched, unsought-out, filthy and beautiful little boy I was convicted.

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I saw Jesus.

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Our arms were made to embrace, to love, to touch and to reach out to those that are shunned.

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Had I forgotten?

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I knew what I was called to do. I took the beautiful little boy by the hand and brought him inside. I got to bathe him and clothe him, it was a beautiful and holy moment. We wrapped him up in an oversized towel and gave him a new shirt that fully covered him.

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Reaching out to the untouched, restoring dignity, seeing a little boy who holds the hand of his unclothed, untouched peer... this is love and this is Christ. I don't believe that boy saw the nakedness of his friend, I think that he saw a beautiful, beloved child of God. He had Christ's eyes.

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May we all see as that little boy, may we reach out to the unclothed and unloved and show them the immense love and acceptance of Christ.

To read more about Sydney's life amongh the precious little ones of Swaziland, venture over to her blog: http://sydneysample.myadventures.org/