"Just love people."

This afternoon was like any other Sunday afternoon. I was out running errands and gathering supplies for tonight's youth group meeting. I remembered I needed to fill up the tank for the week and stopped at the gas station. I was preoccupied with trying to remember my list for the store while my gas was being pumped (thanks, Jersey for that little joy- not having to pump my own gas!). It was raining like mad outside and I was watching the world pass by me through rain soaked windows from within a warm comfy car. Then I saw him.

To my left was sight I won't soon forget. I saw an old van with the side door open and a man moving about within the vehicle as if he were gathering something. I noticed he was sitting on the floor of his van which I thought was unusual. Then I saw him lower down onto the ground a wheelchair as the rain continued to pour. He shuffled toward the edge of the van door... and then I saw he was without legs. He was moving around by using his arms. He lowered himself onto his wheel chair and then I saw his dog peek out to see what his master was doing. Then he attached a rope to his collar and tied the other end of the rope to his chair.  

By this time the gas attendant was knocking on my window to signal me to roll it down in order to give me my receipt. He catches my gaze and notices where I've been staring and looks at the man and he watches the man for a moment too. It was if time had stood still when I was watching this all unfold. 

I don't know this man's name. I don't know his story, although I would desperately like to. I don't know where he is from, if he's local or if he's just passing through. What I do know is this--- God's spirit within me was convicting me for being selfish. I won't say something cliche like I don't know how good I have it when compared to this man. It goes much deeper than that.

I will say this- I've been selfish. Yeah, selfish. I had lost my perspective and Christ faithfully restored it to me today. 

It seems I've been caught up in my own circumstances, my own concerns, my own "needs." God spoke to me and said, "Just love people." My heart within me leaped at the sound of God's voice. I have been desperate for his touch, for his wisdom. I was searching for the wrong answer, or maybe I was asking the wrong questions. 

The longer I walk with God the more I realize how REALLY desperate I am for Him. I'm a mess without Christ. Just when I think I have this whole discerning God's will thing down, He is so faithful to remind me of the simple yet too easily forgotten call of every Christian- "love people." Can I just stop complicating it now? Jesus, take my heart, my will, my all.