The Little Purple Bike

Last week at church Pastor Paul taught about The Word Made Flesh.  He was teaching us that love is an action word, that we cannot just say we love Jesus we have to show that we love Jesus in the things we do; Jesus loved people and we need to love people as well!  During his sermon (you can watch it here if you would like: https://www.victory.com/watch/word-made-flesh) he used the story of the Good Samaritan to explain what really loving people looks like.  You know the story of Good Samaritan right?  If not here it is in Luke 10:25-37 (The Message Bible):

25Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"

26He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"

27He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."

28"Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."

29Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"

30-32Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. 

33-35"A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.' 

36"What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?" 

37"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, "Go and do the same."

 Pastor Paul shared a story about a young girl at the Tulsa Dream Center who was walking away from the toy giveaway with her mother.  Her mother was telling her the reason that they didn't have a bike for her was because she was too dark skinned and that is why they didn't give her a bike.  (My heart just broke, I immediately started to cry hearing the cruel words spoken to this innocent girl).  Pastor Paul said he had to intervene.  He walked up to the mom and the little girl and said, "Excuse me ma'am but your daughter is beautiful, her skin is just the right color and God loves her and you very much."  Turning to the little girl Pastor Paul told her, "In fact we do have a bike just for you."  Her excitement can only be imagined!  "YOU DO!", she said to Pastor Paul.  "Yes we do, that one right over there" and he pointed to a little purple bike.  "THE PURPLE ONE?", the little girl asked.  "Yes the purple one" replied Pastor Paul.  "PURPLE IS MY FAVORITE COLOR!" she exclaimed.  Right then, in that single, simple, beautiful moment I believe Pastor Paul was used by God to touch and change that little girl's life and hopefully her mother's life as well.

My heart has been touched by his message and this story all week.  In the hustle and bustle of life I find myself looking past people instead of looking at them to see if there is a need I can meet for them.  Pastor Paul said something I have heard before but it has resonated in my heart since he said it, "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone."  So often we are kept from doing something because we feel we will have to do the same thing for everyone.  We don't bless one because the thought of having to bless everyone is so overwhelming.  But we miss out on the opportunity to be a blessing to one very important person and they miss the opportunity to be blessed by you or by me.  How sad to think of the missed opportunities we have all had to help, to stop and pray, to assist, to comfort, to simply make someone feel noticed.  So I am on alert for the one; the one person I can bless today, the one person I can love, the one person I can be a neighbor to, the one person I can love as I love myself.  Whether it is a little purple bike, holding the door open for someone, paying off their layaway (have you been hearing about those stories..so awesome!), or sharing a gift with someone, a meal, a prayer, my time, or encouragement; whatever it is I don't want to miss the opportunity to bless someone like the girl who got her little purple bike and the affirmation that God loves her just the way she is and so do other people!

Merry Christmas my friends!  And remember...Love God & Love People...that is what life is all about!