He tapped on the window of the passenger side of the van. The kids were strapped in. I had an organic ice cream cone in one hand, and ginger beer in the other. I caught my breath. "What does he want???"
Keane was already belting out a chorus of "hi"s and "hello"s. I tried to search out his motive, spot a weapon, SOMETHING. Then he held up his cardboard sign (we know how dangerous those are), and talked to me in a raised voice through the glass, not in German or in English. He wanted something from me....
"Is he going to hurt me?" "Hurt my kids?"
Don't think I wasn't tempted to tell him "no!" and "buzz off". I definitely didn't respond with all of the warmth in the world. I immediately defaulted into protection mode. Isn't that what we do? Isn't that how we respond when something is asked of us out of the ordinary?
The rich man, for example? He protected himself with his sense of security, and walked away from the Lord. He wasn't expecting that God would ask him to do that. I'm thinking he regrets that decision right now. Epic FAIL.
I shutter when I think about the money wasted on organic ice cream and a specialty drink. I had to empty out my change for this poor man who somehow found himself begging in a foreign country. I had just spent close to 5 Euro. It would have been perfect.
I think I need to take a hard look at my spending. Does it mean more used items, more IKEA furniture and not top quality (even the sale prices are ridiculous), less credit? Do I really need to protect my life as I know it? What is it that I'm missing out on protecting myself? I shudder to think.
Keane was already belting out a chorus of "hi"s and "hello"s. I tried to search out his motive, spot a weapon, SOMETHING. Then he held up his cardboard sign (we know how dangerous those are), and talked to me in a raised voice through the glass, not in German or in English. He wanted something from me....
"Is he going to hurt me?" "Hurt my kids?"
Don't think I wasn't tempted to tell him "no!" and "buzz off". I definitely didn't respond with all of the warmth in the world. I immediately defaulted into protection mode. Isn't that what we do? Isn't that how we respond when something is asked of us out of the ordinary?
The rich man, for example? He protected himself with his sense of security, and walked away from the Lord. He wasn't expecting that God would ask him to do that. I'm thinking he regrets that decision right now. Epic FAIL.
I shutter when I think about the money wasted on organic ice cream and a specialty drink. I had to empty out my change for this poor man who somehow found himself begging in a foreign country. I had just spent close to 5 Euro. It would have been perfect.
I think I need to take a hard look at my spending. Does it mean more used items, more IKEA furniture and not top quality (even the sale prices are ridiculous), less credit? Do I really need to protect my life as I know it? What is it that I'm missing out on protecting myself? I shudder to think.
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