One morning, my family and I went to a Chinese restaurant for breakfast. While waiting for our orders to arrive, an old man came, selling beaded animals.
It was not the first time we saw him. He was always seen around town, selling various items such as wooden baskets, keychains and so on. Maybe it was because of a leg injury, he could not walk properly. He would go into a restaurant, from table to table selling, almost begging, people to buy his goods. In our self- centred, uncaring, selfish society, it is almost natural for people ignore this man, pretend he never existed, or shoo him away.
It was the same that fateful morning, and I dare say, my family, even though we are Christians, acted the same way at first.
We saw him coming towards our table. The old man started to promote his beaded animals in a language we did not understand. So naturally, we acted as if he was never there, and in defence, my dad shooed the man away. Disappointment was written all over the man’s face. So he wobbled toward the other tables, with the hope that somebody might buy his goods.
I was stabbed with guilt. I knew very well that this was not what Jesus taught us to do. Jesus received those rejected by the society with love and compassion.
My mom had the same thoughts. She shared Matthew 25 with us:
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats…
… Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you will be blessed by my Father; take you inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the worlds. 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 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 reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’
What Jesus told us is that if we humble ourselves and serve others, we are actually doing it so upon the Lord. We don’t necessarily have to start an orphanage or an outreach ministry to serve our Lord. In fact, we can do that just by serving others in small ways.
My mom then pulled out a 10 Ringgit note. She told me to go and buy the beaded animals from the old man, no matter how much they cost.
Without wasting time, I rose from my seat and went to the old man. I bought two beaded animals, a poodle dog and a mouse, 5 Ringgit each. The old man smiled happily and thanked me for buying. The precious smile upon his face was full of hope and gratitude.
I will never forget this lesson.
Colossians 3:23
‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men’
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