Lenses

What lenses do you see the world with? I am taking a discipleship class at Riverview and heard a story about a friend of mine who is only about 12 years old and autistic sees things differently. He sees things that most of us don't. His father told me a story and it just crushed my spirit down a bit...made me tear up...and wonder if his disability is really a disability.

A couple of weeks ago, my little friend was standing in line for lunch and watching the snow fall outside. I imagine him starring with a smirk and turning around in line as he pondered the snow. The girl behind him thought that he is gave her a dirty look. A confrontation ensued and some of his friends tried to step in to help the situation. The girl was so angry and mad that she decked poor Sam right in the ear. Sam is such an innocent nice kid...he didn't know what to do...he just fell to the ground. By this time his ear must have been ringing, and finally an adult took care of the situation and the little girl got in trouble.

Later that evening, his dad had a conversation with Sam. It was all his dad could do not to be so furious, that he wanted to take out the other kids parents for raising such a "jerk of a kid". As he is talked to Sam and tried to keep himself from being overcome with anger and hatred toward the other kid and her family....Sam said something so profound and honest...and that is Sam...honest as they come...it totally shocked his father.

"Dad, that girl much really being going through a lot and having a hard time...I mean she must really being having a really tough day to be so angry to hit someone."

His dad was speechless...Sam could see the girls pain even though he was the one who got pummelled. He was seeing her through a different set of lenses. He was looking at her the way Jesus looks at all of us...with love and compassion. Sam was loving his neighbor as himself...and his neighbor was in essence his enemy. Maybe we are the one's with a disability. Most of reaction would have acted similar to his dad or we would've fought back. Sam loved the girl enough to perceive her pain. God has giving Sam an ability that most of us struggle to achieve on a daily basis.

Have you ever wondered if any of God's promises are conditional? I learned something in the discipleship class. Take this one for example from John 13:35 "By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." Did you catch the condition? All men will only know you are disciples of Christ...IF...you love one another! It is conditional...but also a guarantee. Hmmm...have you ever noticed that? Are we loving our neighbor the right way? Do they know we are a Christian? OR...Are we living ignoring how we act and looking at life through our own lens instead of through the lens of Christ? Another good question....who is our neighbor then? Ever wondered that? Well so did the Jews of old...they even asked Jesus about it! Do some reading....look up Luke 10:25-39...the parable of the good Samaritan. Jesus tells us who our neighbors are....anyone with a need...even if they are our enemy. Sam figured this out...and he is only 12. Look for my thoughts on this parable soon. I have some interested things to say about it...which I learned from Sam's dad.