when did i see you in need of water?
oh, and tell me now
when did i see you hungry on the street?
God, i hear you calling out to me
in the voices of the least of these
calling me to reach beyond my world
to the beautiful stranger...
"beautiful stranger"
rebecca st. james
Sometimes we are so caught up in our own world that we tend to forget that there is a world outside our own.
Sometimes we think that the world our own private world is perfect on its own that we dont seem to care about the imperfect world around us.
About people who think differently from our way of thinking. Who live differently from the way we live our lives. Whose manners might not seem to be as refined as ours. Or who might not seem to be as logical and rational as we are. Whose culture seem to be a bit off track, laid back or even outdated. Who worship a diety who is in no way comparable to the God we worship...
And this is my point, really. Most culture are shaped by the kind of faith they have. culture and religion are most of the time so intertwined that we cannot sometimes tell one from the other. A certain people can be so laid back but that's because they have been taught to walk the middle path. To not go to both extremes of apathy and arrogance. Then there are those who appear to be so culturally militant and that's because they have been raised to be radical for their faith to the point of going to extremes.
And then there's us. A people who know who they believe and follow. We have been taught to be wise like a serpent and meek like a dove. We have been taught to be passionate about our faith then also share it in humility and meekness. To walk the extra mile if asked. To turn the other cheek if needed to. To feed the hungry. And clothe the naked. And comfort those who mourn. To show kindness and compassion and sacrificial love to those who think such virtues don’t exist. To be compelled by the love of the Almighty. Cause only by then can they know the difference. Between the lotus and the cross. Or the crescent and the cross.
There's us. wonderfully and fearfully made. Chosen. And there's them. Lost. Careless. But still beautiful in God's eyes.
There's us. Set apart… Yet being sent to them... Yes, to them. Beautiful strangers.
Are we gonna heed the call?
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