Thursday, December 21, 2006

Is That You Jesus?


I was in the hustle & bustle of the Christmas season, waiting in line for a red light. More specifically the green light....even the traffic signals are festive. Christmas tunes have been playing in my car since November 28th. The Christmas season for me began on the 28th at 6:18pm when 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' came on the radio....that's my offical start each year. I make a big deal to wish people 'Merry Christmas' not season's greetings, or happy holidays, or even Ramahaunakwanzmas to be sure that I definitely do not offend. It's a very special time of year for me. I do believe that the emphasis of Christmas and what Christ did for us is being lost. It's sad I know, and we're all responsible. We focus on his birth, but not on his death and why he was born to begin with.
So the soap box is laid, the declarations are made, and the music is played. Why then would I turn my eye the other way when a man walked by my car at that red light with a sign that said 'Please. On the street. Have nothing. Anything will help.'
Why did I choose at that moment to check for something in my glove box. I saw him, he saw me. He knows I saw him. My window is slightly open due to our uncharacteristically warm temperatures, and the Christmas songs about spreading love and cheer are booming from the radio. Not the typical music you'd hear from a 26 year old males car, so it'd be the one fellow who'd roll down his window and give some change. I keep change in my car regularly. Sometimes I just want a Starbucks for crying out loud. I knew it was there. I was saving it. A toonie stared up at me. Two bucks. I was saving it though....I wanted a coke at school tomorrow...that's a buck seventy five. If I gave homeless Joe the toonie, I'd have to break a fiver to get a drink.
I knew it was wrong.
He passed my car. In the rear-view mirror, I saw a hand reach out the window and hand him some change.
My heart dropped.
The radio sang on....'...from now on our troubles will be out of sight.'
That wasn't the song. I don't remember the song....but I remember the drop in my gut.
Was that you Jesus?
Were you hungry?
Were you naked?
Were you thirst?
Did I feed you? Clothe you? Offer you a drink?

I went out later, but Jesus was gone.
I couldn't find him to give him a drink.
I'm sorry Jesus...
I'm sorry.