As I chose the above verse for today, my feelings and emotions were mixed.  I have so much compassion for the people living on the street…the homeless…the drug addicts… the alcoholics; yet I am so angry about it all!

I’m angry at Satan for destroying innocent lives with the lies and junk he peddles to our children, and to those of us that have lost hope-for whatever reason!  He advertises drugs, sex, alcohol, showing rich, prominent, beautiful people ‘having a great time’ as they delve into ‘his spirits’.  But the picture most of us fail to see is, all the addicts and a large portion of the homeless are where they are now because of buying into his lies!

Most in this predicament have lost all hope, and believe they are beyond redemption; so they die in their sins and cannot go where Jesus is.  They believe they have strayed too far from Mercy’s outstretched hand, and cannot be forgiven of their sins.

Most of that kind of thinking is the devil’s fault; however, we as Christians that fail to witness to them because of fear…or because they smell…or are in a drunken stupor…or whatever other ‘excuse’ we come up with, are just as guilty!

Sometimes ‘those kind of people’ are put in our path because God Almighty wants to see how we will treat them.  God said in another passage, “Whatever you do to the least of these…you do to ME!”-Matthew 25:40

Next time you pass a homeless person with a sign, think about this:  He could be an angel put in your path by God to see what kind of feelings well up inside of you at the sight of him.  Are you feeling disgust?  Anger at the audacity of his begging?  Or do you have compassion for his situation?  Do you wonder if he ever heard of Jesus’ saving power?

See…one day, long ago, Jesus saw me…standing in my rags, with the stains and smell of sin all over me.  He saw the despair in my eyes as I held my sign…begging any and all that passed by for help; I was hungry -way down deep inside…had an unquenchable thirst…and no man cared for my soul.  But He had compassion on me.  He stopped, and let me taste of the Bread of life, and He gave me living water to drink so I’d never thirst again!  Everything changed that day!

Even if we have no money to give, we could SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS and His salvation.  After all…THAT is what all of us need.  And…if he’s not an angel when you first meet him…he will be after he accepts the gift of salvation from Jesus!

Maybe you better turn around…and go back.  That ‘angel’ needs you!

Anita