The Face of God

The steps in our journey of life sometimes finds us on roads too craggy to climb. In these times I have envisioned a literal grip on God's hand in order to brave the next ridge in the road. This difficult time of year for Mozambicans parades the beggars, opportunists and thieves who yesterday performed unceasingly at my car window in the market in Beira. The weariness weighed heavily on me as I reflected on my role in all of this repetitive need. I asked God to hold more than my hand today...I needed to see His face, I needed to hear his heartbeat. He answered in a beautiful story told by my translator, Simone. Simone quietly watched this drama play out this afternoon as if he were in an outdoor amphitheater.

"I was waiting by some vendors for a friend," began Simone, "and watched a very sick woman approach a vendor selling soft drinks. She told the man that she was very thirsty and asked for a drink. He abruptly told her he didn't have soft drinks and she needed to leave. She went to the next vendor. He was selling bananas. She told him that she was hungry and asked if she could have just one banana. He responded in the same way as the first vendor. He told her he didn't have bananas and she should go away. Wearily, she approached the last vendor selling frozen flavored water. Once again she explained how thirsty she was and pleaded for his help. Once again, he responded in the same way as the first two and told her to go away."

Simone continued. "I waited for a while to see if anyone would help. The woman was not doing well by that time yet no one helped. I went to her and took her to the third man selling the flavored frozen water and bought her one. Then we went to the banana vendor and I bought her a banana. When she was finished eating it I took her to the man selling soft drinks and bought her a soft drink. She was so thankful that she asked God to bless me - repeating it ten times! I finally told her to go in peace. She started to leave but then she came back and asked me what church I attended. I gave her directions to our church and invited her to come."

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25: 35-40