Another story by Betty Carpenter
Look For The Face of Jesus
When we first moved to Indiana from Tennessee we lived in Franklin, Indiana not too far from the high school and the railroad tracks. My mother wasn’t working at the time so I always walked home from school for lunch. We didn’t have much money so it was a cost savings and a wonderful opportunity for me to eat one of my mother’s home cooked meals. Plus, she always took the time to sit with me just to talk. She was the biggest influence in my life and, I thought, she must have had a heart just like Jesus. She always had some Bible teaching she would refer to when I or one of my siblings had questions about what motivated her or why she did some of the things we didn’t understand.
One Saturday morning we had just finished eating our breakfast of bacon, eggs, gravy and my mother’s homemade biscuits she made each and every day. There was a knock on our door. My mother went to the door and there was a man standing there that had a bag tied to a stick which contained all his belongings. He was not clean, he was unshaven, he had long hair and had just gotten off the freight train that stopped a few blocks away from our house. That was his transportation from town to town. He explained all that to my mother and asked her if we had any food he could eat since he was hungry. So, my mother, having that heart like Jesus, told him to come in and sit at our table. Her homemade biscuits and gravy were cold but she insisted on heating them for him while she made him some fresh cooked eggs. As usual, my mother sat with him, in fact we all did, while he enjoyed his food. I don’t remember the topics of our conversation but, even at that time, I considered it somewhat dangerous but so thoughtful and non-judgmental of my mother to welcome this stranger into our home. I’ve never forgotten that experience. I know it was never a question in my mother’s mind whether or not to feed this hungry stranger. And, as always, this was another lesson from the Bible when he left to go on his way. She just looked at us and said, ―you never know when you might have an opportunity to entertain an angel.‖ As I thought about this I searched my Bible and found the scripture to which she referred in Hebrews where the author provides some practical rules for Christian living. (―Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.‖ Heb. 13:2) Then again in Matthew, Jesus tells us of rewards to those who serve without thought of reward. (―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.‖ Matt. 25:42) Jesus refers to His brothers as strangers— sick, in prison, hungry, thirsty, and needing clothes .
So, you might ask, what does all this have to do with the title of this article? It’s about serving as Jesus served and loving as Jesus loved. When people see us, at our work, at our school or at our church, do they see Christ within us? When they see our face, do they see the reflection of Jesus? I think that strange man must have seen the reflection of Jesus that day my mother invited him into our home and gave him food. Look around. Do you see reflections of Jesus around you?
Great article Suzanne, those biscuits are making me hungry!
Wonderful Story Of Compassion!