But A Beggar.

Growing up in a traditional Asian home, my parents didn't paint a pretty picture of beggars. If I was bad, they would threaten to throw me out into the streets for the beggars to get me. As a 5-year old, I had no concept of what a beggar was but how they spoke of them made me think they were monsters. Dirty monsters that people looked upon with disdain. As I grew older and got to see them on the streets myself, little changed. My parents also yelled at me for giving them money saying that all of them would follow me around begging for more. I was too compassionate. Even now, I am conflicted when I see beggars because I want to help but I've been drilled not to. What's right? What's wrong? What's safe?

I've been reading through John slowly, ever so slowly, and it paints a different picture of beggars. The people are still the same-- they look upon them with disdain. But Jesus. He doesn't. In John 9, it talks about the healing of a man born blind, not in vain, but to give God the glory when he is healed. Nothing is in vain if it gives God glory (v.3). He was born blind and the only way he can make a living or survive when his parents cannot take him in anymore is to beg. And now here are some interesting things.

When the blind beggar could not go about, he sat; if we cannot work for God, we must sit still quietly for him. When he could not work, he begged. Matthew Henry says that we must never be ashamed to beg. There is nothing for man to be ashamed of except his sin.

Why this man? Why was he chosen?

(1.) The common beggar was generally known by the community around him who saw him day in and day out. His healing would attest even more the truth of Jesus being the Son of God as well as His compassion. The community who had known him for so long would also testify that this was the same man who was born blind against the Jews who wanted to prove otherwise (v.10, 13, 18).

(2.) Healing this man spoke of Christ's compassion. He healed those most wrought by poverty and misery, not by their riches or dignity. It is easier to save those who know their need for salvation than for those who believe they are find without it.

So now, does this change your view of beggars? Of Christ?

Thankfulness of the day: That He uses the weak to show He is strong.

10 Ways to Love.

1. Listen without interrupting. (Proverbs 18)
2. Speak without accusing. (James 1:19)
3. Give without sparing. (Proverbs 21:26)
4. Pray without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9)
5. Answer without arguing. (Proverbs 17:1)
6. Share without pretending. (Ephesians 4:15)
7. Enjoy without complaint. (Philippians 2:14)
8. Trust without wavering. (Corinthians 13:7)
9. Forgive without punishing. (Colossians 3:13)
10. Promise without forgetting. (Proverbs 13:12)

Thankfulness of the Day: The ability to love because He first loved us.

Lady Bugs.

Rising cortisol levels due to increasing stress rates are giving me a headache at the library. But

1. A cute old man is sitting across from me and reading the paper. Looking at him makes me smile.
2. When washing my hands in the bathroom, a little girl ran up to me and told me she found a lady bug. I told her she was really lucky because lady bugs are lucky! (It's true!)
3. The sun is shining.

Perspective: God is good no matter what I feel, think, or do.

Random Tangent: The quality of toilet paper reveals a lot about the establishment. When soft, plush toilet paper is provided, it says that the establishment cares enough to think of others rather than penny pinching. Also, the way a bathroom is constructed makes a huge difference on cleanliness. More on this later. I wonder if they have bathroom consultants because I could be one. Squirrel!

Prayer.

I started tutoring kids at my k-12th school when I was in 9th grade. Ever since then, I've been working with kids. The first batch were the ones who unknowingly showed me what I was created for because it was so easy, natural, and satisfying. How could I not know and love these children? With any life, there is both joy and sorrow. With children, there were obstacles to overcome, triumph in accomplishment, and sometimes unexpected or painful goodbyes. Through all of this, I've learned that I rather have compassion than a callused heart and that I can always pray. One well-worn prayer is that God would watch over these kids, past and present, and lead them to know Him so that I can see them when I go to heaven. Then I'll ask them how hard math really was or if they ever got better at fooseball.

What a joy it was, then, to see and hear of one kid who I first met when I was 14. (Are we 14 when we're in 9th grade? I'm bad at math and too lazy to calculate. This makes for a bad tutor.) Even then I worried about him and how he'd do. Today, I found out he attending my alma mater, going to my old fellowship, and growing a lot spiritually.

One prayer.
One blessing.
Thank you God for letting me see fruit a decade later.

Rejoice always.
Pray unceasingly.
Give thanks in all circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18a

This Life.

"This life therefore is not righteousness but growth in righteousness;
not health but healing;
not being but becoming;
not rest but exercise.
We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it.
The process is not finished, but it is going on.
This is not the end, but it is the road.
All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.”
-Martin Luther