The Man and the Bread

"Excuse me ma'am," the man spoke softly, turning toward me as I approached the doors to Target, "do you think I could trouble you for a loaf of bread?" I hesitated.

"Um, yes - sure. I'll run in and I'll be right out."

Today's trip to Target was supposed to be a quick one - go through the clearance section and take Ethan to the playscape in the mall. In the seconds between his asking and my reply, I decided this wasn't too much of a hassle for someone who seemed to really need that loaf of bread.

I toted the child on my hip into the store and started contemplating this man and his need. Did he really only need bread? I can't imagine how hard it would be to ask a stranger for help like that. This man, standing on the curb in front of Target looked as though he was waiting to be picked up by someone. At first glance, he didn't look homeless. I would have walked right past him and been on my way.

I'm sure I'm losing my "what is done in secret" cred, but this man and his need just struck a chord in me. I had to make myself publicly accountable for what the Lord was teaching (I love to blog, so clearly I also have a penchant for oversharing).

I'm amazed by this small way that the Lord made me aware of those in need in my neighborhood - in the middle of my day-to-day tasks. I'm a stay at home mom: my thoughts rarely drift from my tasks around the house or what I'm going to do that day in teaching, playing and occupying Ethan. But here in the midst of my day, I saw someone else in need. How often do I just look past those people? How often am I so occupied in what my family is doing that I don't notice others in my community that need some kind of help or show of love?

"Jesus answered, "The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.""
-Mark 12:29-31, ESV

My paraphrase: love Jesus with every fiber of your being and the love for others will just pour out of you.
(Stealing this paraphrase from some friends, and loving that I'm seeing it applied in my life today.)

This lesson isn't a new one. Though it's not something I haven't heard a hundred times, it could be revolutionary. The challenge for me is to love others by opening my eyes to needs of my neighbors (which may not be limited to food for the homeless), and be willing to serve even if it makes me uncomfortable (I'm uncomfortable just typing that out!). I would be lying if I said that showing love to people who are different from me comes easily for me, but what better motivation do I have than to please the Lord?

After Target, at the playscape

Clinging to this truth today,