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Les Miserables sounds Spanish but it’s a French title to a book that was made into a musical. Some of our family went to see this live drama this last week. I photographed the cover of the program to share with you because I like the image of the child and what the quote directs my attention to. “ To love another person, is to see the face of God.” Love others and seek Gods face. What makes him smile? What makes him frown or angry? Do I want to know what he thinks about the poor, or even more how he wants me to treat them?
In English we could draw an equivalent of miserable, and find an unhappy feeling of a person, or a run down and neglected item or building. In this case the French word is defining an economically poor person, who would be deserving of ones pity.
Hannah’s prophecy in 1 Samuel 2 describes how our Creator relates to such a person:
7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
He brings low and lifts up.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,
To set them among princes
And make them inherit the throne of glory.
Last week I was able to pick up a hitch hiker, and his dog. After offering him a short ride and a cup of coffee, we were able to talk about life. “Drifter Joe” said he believed in God but had a hard time dealing with Jesus. I shared with him the Jesus I know. I invited him over for a shower, some breakfast, and come along to our Sunday morning meeting. His countenance fell, as he calculated the decision. I could tell he wanted to go, and he said he knew it would do him some good. He could not figure out how to deal with his dog, having never left his side for a year and a half. He also said he did not want to get stuck another night in our “one horse cowboy town” ( emphasis mine). I understood, and showed him respect for his decision. Passers by showed a lot of interest in “Pirate” his dog, giving him treats and compliments. Was the dog an object of compassion that Joe needed in a generation where hitchhiking and drifting is almost extinct? I have noticed how pets have been elevated in value in our society, nearly as much children. I did not tell Joe that we have already had a lady bringing her little weaner dog to some of our services. His half German Shepard, half Coyote would have been just to much, although I was confident that its behavior would have been well qualified as a guide dog or a service dog in a public building.
May we know Our Fathers heart for the poor when they cross our path. May we have His eyes to see what to do when some one is in our life and needing help or compassion. Discernment and discretion are needed when relating to someone that we really don’t know off the street. When some who is less fortunate comes into our life, how do we treat them? . I am talking about a handicapped person you know, some one that is less attractive, or some one that has less sports ability, or musical talent. May we have wisdom that is “considerate and full of mercy”. G.W.
