I Saw A Beggar Today

How we see others will affect how we see ourselves. How we see ourselves will affect how we see others. How we see Christ will determine how we see everyone.

The road of life is littered with the scattered pieces of men who lived their lives in pride, arrogance, and self-centeredness. Only a gaze into the heavens can protect us from the same lonely fate. Just one glimpse into the face of Jesus can save us from the destruction of pride. We must see ourselves properly.

After reflecting on this, I grabbed my pen and wrote this free verse poem:

A New Beginning

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing…” (Isaiah 43:18-19) Americans love ‘new things’—from new cars and new jobs to new houses and new spouses. It doesn’t matter as long as it is new. In today’s ‘me-first’ generation, words like consistency, steadfastness, commitment, and priority have become meaningless.

What do we find this time of year? In the tradition of the yearly routine, New Year’s resolutions will be made by millions of people. They will last for about 2 days, give or take a day. We need something new—a new body, a new membership, a new pair of shoes. The list is as long as the gossip at the local coffee house. After spending money we did not have, on people we hardly ever see, buying things they do not need, many of us are already looking for something new. Hmmm… maybe the real issue is us!

The Lord has made the rhythm and seasons of life to coincide with our need for something new. Every twenty-four hours we are given a new day. Each one is filled with hope and promise to work harder or be a new person. Each morning we are given the opportunity to be a better husband, wife, or parent. This year’s fashions will not make us new, they only cover up the same old ugly attitude with attractive colors. Ugly is still ugly regardless of how we dress it up. 

Queen Elizabeth’s Last Hill

“You got to walk that lonesome Valley. You got to walk it for yourself.” (Mississippi John Hurt, 1883-1966, Blues singer)

After Queen Elizabeth’s II death, I looked through many photos and events of her life. I love history because it helps to reveal the interconnectedness of generations and events. Elizabeth was elegant and beautiful throughout her life. However, there is one photo that struck me the moment I saw it. 

This photo is from 51 years ago as she climbed a hill in the countryside of Scotland. The background is gorgeous and the photo is stunning. A half-century ago she climbed that hill. This year, she climbed the hill into the presence of God. 

We all will make that journey… some sooner than expected, and others later than expected. And, as bluesman Mississippi John Hurt says in his song, “We got to walk it for ourself.” Each of us will walk the trail, the mountain, or the valley as our life winds down. Sometimes the end of life is not a soft landing; however, for those who belong to Christ, the final rest is always in presence of our Savior.

God Moves in Mysterious Ways

“God moves in mysterious ways…” (Christian Hymn, William Cowper, 1773) We never have to be afraid to pray and ask the Lord what he is doing. However, some things we will not understand in this life, some things we cannot understand even if the Lord told us, and some things we will never understand. He is God, and we are not. I’m sure this ‘not knowing’ was a big factor 81 years ago today at Pearl Harbor. 

If we live long enough, some of the great stories in life will come full circle and reveal the majesty of God’s sovereign dealings with humanity. Here is one such story. Jacob DeShazer was a bombardier as part of Jimmy Doolittle’s raid against Japan after they had bombed Pearl Harbor and plunged the United States into the throes of World War II. The mission was an attempt to let Japan know that the long arm of the USA could reach them. It would come with a price, as the bombers taking off to fly over and bomb Japan could not carry enough fuel to return. The men would have to ditch their planes over China and hope to return to the United States. 

Jacob DeShazer was captured by the Japanese on April 18, 1942, and held prisoner for the remainder of the war. Within the first six months, he watched three of his fellow airmen executed and one starved to death by their captures. Jacob was an atheist, but the events around him in the prison camp forced him to question why the Americans and Japanese hated each other so much.

Barabbas

It is the week called the Passion. There is a man known as a miracle worker, who opened the eyes of blind and the ears of the deaf. He has been known to turn water into wine and even, can you believe it, walk on water. He is called Jesus by those close to him, and they claim he is the promised Messiah of Israel. The religious leaders call him a deceiver and blasphemer, and they see him as a false prophet that is leading the people astray.

Then there is Rome… the nation that only cares that people will remain under their power. In this setting, two men stand captive under the authority of Rome—both for insurrection—Jesus and Barabbas. Their lives came to this intersection in this city of David. Their names will be forever etched together whenever anyone tells the story of the events of this week.

Oh, it is Passion Week. The Jews are passionate about their laws, sacrifices, and feasts. The followers of Jesus are passionate about their Messiah, the son of David, the leader of their faith. The followers of Barabbas are passionate about their insurrection and desire to throw off the chains of bondage from the Romans. Tempers are flaring… passions are red hot… danger is brewing.