DO YOU RESEMBLE JESUS?

DO YOU RESEMBLE JESUS?

Some years ago, a group of sales reps attended a regional sales convention in Chicago.  They assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner.  However, the sales meeting lasted longer than anticipated.

Afterwards, they raced through Chicago O’Hare International Airport to make it to their flights on time.  In their mad dash, loaded with carry-on luggage, one of the salesmen inadvertently knocked over a table holding a display of apples in baskets.  Apples flew everywhere!

Without stopping to look back, the sales reps managed to reach their departure gate in time, all but one.  He paused for a moment, took a deep breath and experienced a twinge of compassion for the young girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his associates to go on without him and to tell his wife that he would be taking a later flight.

Then he returned to the terminal where dozens of apples had been scattered all over the floor.  He was glad that he did because the 16-year-old girl at the apple stand was totally blind!  She was kneeling and crying softly, as tears of frustration ran down her reddened cheeks.  At the same time, she was groping helplessly for her spilled produce while an uncaring crowd scurried about her.  Not one person stopped to assist or to show any concern for her plight.

The troubled sales rep knelt on the floor beside her, gathered up the apples, put them into baskets and helped her to reset her display.  As he did so, he noticed that many apples had been badly bruised; these he set aside in a separate basket.  When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, “I’m really sorry.  Please take this $20 for all the damage I have done.” Pausing, he added, “Are you okay?” She nodded affirmatively through fading tears and an emerging smile.  As the sales rep walked away, he added, “I hope I didn’t spoil your day too badly.”

Just then, the bewildered blind girl called loudly to him: “Mister!” He turned to look once more at the face that seemed so sweet and serene.  “Mister,” the blind girl queried with utmost sincerity, “Are you JESUS?”

He stopped mid-stride, thought for a moment, then slowly made his way down the concourse to catch a later flight.  But the young blind girl’s question was now etched indelibly within his soul: “Are you Jesus?”

It’s a powerful and poignant question that all should prayerfully consider.  Think.  Based upon our attitudes and actions, would anyone ever mistake us for Jesus?  But that’s our destiny, isn’t it?  To become so much like Jesus that people are challenged to tell the difference – as we interact daily with a world that seems to be blind to His grace, His life and His love. Indeed, we have been commissioned to become “living epistles,” read daily by those persons who have not yet yielded to the warm and merciful touch of The Master’s Hand.

The Word declares that you and I are “the APPLE of His eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10) And even though we were badly bruised by the fall from grace, Jesus stopped by on a hill called Calvary and paid the price that our ‘damaged fruit’ might be fully redeemed and eternally restored.

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!