You know, people are important. Generally, I tend to do well at "seeing" those who are involved in my everyday life, but a few weeks ago I decided it was time to, "up the ante" and take this seeing business to the streets. I want to take the time to notice the girl behind the cash register, the man that serves my dinner, and the intelligent but overly talkative kid that I sit next to in history class.Who are they, and how can I make them feel recognized and valuable? After all, God is about people, so I should follow suit.
Yesterday, I got the privilege of putting this idea to practice. After a turn of events, I found myself at home instead of the campus library, and I was just about to get settled when the doorbell rang. A woman whom I'd only met once before stood in front of me, and she needed help. Her initial request was for a ride, but as the moments passed, I quickly realized what she really needed was the time of day. What was originally going to be a ten minute ride across town turn into ninety minutes of listening to a woman that many would classify as broken or beyond repair. Throughout our conversation, I had two choices: I could see her for who she is and who she has the potential to become, or I could deem her as defined by her mistakes and cast her aside.
We live in a society that is too caught up on people's hang-ups to be concerned with their true identity. Sure, this is life, and some people will unfortunately choose to remain in a cycle of failure and defeat, but then there are those who show up on your front porch, actively seeking a better way. May we never be so far removed from our own faults that we turn them away.
"You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade."
-Tenth Avenue North
Preach it, girl! :)
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