First off, if you are here reading this from a link posted on the Facebook page, Simply Bellezza, then please note that this isn't my normal "beauty" blog. This blog is where I talk about spirituality and self-discovery. If you browse through older posts, you'll find posts about my journey--it's a very personal blog and I don't update it that often, sadly. It's one that I update only when I feel the inspiration.
Today, I feel this inspiration.
I have been feeling a deep sadness for our world in its current state. People are hurting each other, allowing darkness and evil to take over--and what baffles me the most is that deep down, I want to believe that people are intrinsically good. As a Christian, I believe that each of us, no matter our own religious backgrounds or preferences, are born with a little bit of God in our hearts. We have good in us, despite the falling of Adam and Eve. God doesn't create garbage. The world creates garbage and that's because the world is full of evil.
Yesterday, May 1, 2013, was an interesting day here in Seattle. It seemed normal, aside from spring fever and the sunshine...until the evening came and people who were participating in anti-capitalism marches in downtown Seattle started to get violent. I work a full-time job in a neighboring city near Seattle, and I commute by bus. My bus comes into a tunnel station and I am dropped off in the heart of downtown--exactly half a block from where the riots began and where, not even an hour later, tear gas was deployed on those who wouldn't stop their violence.I was oblivious because I have a protector. I got off my bus nearly anywhere between 15-30 minutes before the horrible commotion began, and had diverted my normal commute home to stop at a store a block away.
When I finished shopping, I started walking a few blocks down the road to catch my bus home. Looking at my One Bus Away app, I saw that my bus was running about 25 minutes late...as were several others. This was really strange to me, but I still thought nothing of it.
While I continued to walk, I came across a man, whom I saw picking himself up off the ground. He wore dirty clothes that most would throw out into a dumpster. His hair unclean. His clothes hanging on him like sheets. His jeans bunched up at the bottom of his holy boots. He staggered along, trying to keep his balance, tripping over his feet and walking dizzily across a busy street. Most people just walk on by...and all I saw did.
Except me.
I felt so sad for this man. Perhaps I am a huge sap, but I instantly started to tear up and get really overwhelmed with emotion. My heart hurt for him, so I followed him. I instantly started to pray for him because I was scared that he would get really hurt. It was overwhelming to me that no one else gave him a second glance. Why would nobody else stop and even ask him if he was okay?
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| No, this is NOT him. This came from www.thehomelessblog.wordpress.com. |
At some point, he found a place to sit down and I walked up to him, mustering up some courage, mind you, to ask him if he was okay. He said he was not okay and he said it with such finality and hopelessness that I would have broken down and started bawling for him. Instead, I asked if I could pray with him. A part of me was surprised to hear him say yes!
Most people are not very accepting of strangers asking to pray over them. I am most definitely not the kind of person who ever, ever walks up to someone and asks to do that, especially in public. My prayers are usually silent and unsuspecting. I guess I'll categorize that as a 'ninja prayer.'
He was wearing a brand new bandage with gauze and tape giving him a rounded arm much like a Popeye the Sailor arm, sans anchor tattoos. He also had on a hospital bracelet. And he wreaked of alcohol. He bent over, trying not to fall, with his head almost resting in my lap...I held one of his hands and put my other hand on his head and started to pray over him. As people walked by, I felt nervous, knowing that they were thinking, What in the mad world? But I kept on.
God will use someone with more resources to help him find respite, clean clothes, and more assistance. I didn't have any resources to give to him.
But I think I gave him the one thing that he needed most: love. No, not romantic love--agape love. Agape love is the kind of love that people share for others. I love you, my dear readers, because of agape love. I love you because you are someone. I love you because you are a life--a very special life, no matter who you are and where you are. I love you because you are unique. Because you and I share the same humanity. I love you because you need love as I need love.
It's so amazing to me that God used me to minister to Michael (that is his name). It was purposed for me to be there at that precise moment. And the truth is, I hope that Michael has hope like never before. I hope that his life will be forever changed, and not because of me, but because of who God is in me. Because God lives in me, it is a light that casts out darkness. In sharing that with Michael, it is my sincerest hope that he holds onto that light, knowing that love can change his life. All it takes is one person to make that difference between misery and hope in someone's life.
Please, if you feel compelled, keep praying for Michael with me. I so believe in the power of unified prayer. I won't give you scripture references or anything Biblical at this point, but let's just say that it is a spiritual law that we are more powerful in unified prayer.
And because I am Christian, I asked that Michael be lifted up and all of us who are in agreement will
pray this in Jesus' name and say Amen! (Let Your work be done, Father God.)In regards to the blog post title, my only request for you, lovely, dear readers, is to be the light, the love--the most beautiful thing--to all those you meet and see. Please don't ignore someone. Show kindness. That will be the most beautiful thing any one person will see in their whole day....or lifetime even. You have the power to change a life. Simply do it.
Much love to you,
Em
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