Our Eyes Met

I turned the T.V. on to catch the news headlines before I stepped out to run some errands. Flipping channels, I saw the big, brown eyes of a gaunt, but smiling little boy on a World Vision commercial.

It was as if our eyes met.

Tears filled my eyes, as always, and I quickly changed channels. Annoyance with child sponsorship programs rose up within me – “I wish they wouldn’t use these beautiful little kids to make me feel guilty. I already sponsor a child. What more do they want from me?” Instead of checking the news, I just shut off the T.V. and quickly left the house.

First stop – downtown. As I walked down Portage Avenue a man, smelling of alcohol, stumbled toward me and asked for change.

Our eyes met.

I patted my pockets and to my relief they were empty… Well, except for the $20 bill. “Buy him lunch." The quiet, inner whisper of the Lord’s voice was loud and clear. “Buy the man some lunch." I replied to both the Lord and the man’s outstretched hand with one emphatic word: “NO! - I mean, no, sorry sir, I have no change. But, uh, God bless you.” I quickly walked away, avoiding the man’s eyes in an attempt to also avoid the conviction that was rising within my heart.

I walked to the mall and opened the doors. Ahhhhh! Warm air hit my face and my cold nose began to thaw. As I walked to the office where my appointment was, I noticed a rock in my shoe and sat down on a mall bench. As I sat back up after fixing my shoe I saw an unmistakably pregnant teenage girl sitting across from me.

Our eyes met.

As my gaze locked with hers, her eyes begged me for mercy and compassion. She looked down at the cross necklace that I wore, and a tear spilled down one cheek. I felt a sudden and powerful urge to tell her that even in these circumstances, Jesus still loves her. But I didn’t tell her that. I just asked, “Are you ok?” She nodded her head as if to say “yes,” while more tears flowed down her face. “That’s good. Well, I hope you have a better day,” I said, and uncomfortably stood up and walked away, hurrying to my appointment.

After my meeting, I went home and baked some bread. As I was kneading the dough, a thought came to me – maybe the pastor and his family would like some homemade bread. I ignored that thought and let my mind wander, pondering the events of the day and the people I had run into. But for some reason I didn’t want to think about them. I responded aloud to my thoughts. “Be quiet!”

After I finished baking my bread, I sat down at the table and spread butter on my fresh, hot slice. Again, I thought of the pastor and his family. “Oh – Be quiet!!” I hollered to myself. Why would the pastor need bread? And even if his family does need food, there are a lot more people with a lot more time and money to provide for them. So please, would my thoughts… BE… QUIET?!?!

I put on some nice, mellow worship music and sat down. As I took a bite out of my fresh, warm, and oh-so-delicious bread, four people suddenly stood before me: the pastor, the pregnant girl, the man asking for change and the World Vision child.

Our eyes met.

I sat there, with my bread in my mouth, so stunned that I was unable to chew it. The four people joined hands with each other, and suddenly became one Person – the Lord Jesus.

Our eyes met.

Yes. This was all a dream. And I woke up with a tear-soaked pillow, begging the Lord for a second chance. In fact, I think I will go bake some bread right now…


Matthew 25:34-40
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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 and 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 will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’