On my way to work, I sometimes saw a homeless man sitting in a    wheelchair on the corner, but I always passed him by. Sometimes I would say, ‘Good morning’, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask, ‘How are you?’ I even wondered whether his wheelchair was necessary or just a prop.

Then one cold, rainy night, my teenage son, Chad, asked me for a flask of hot chocolate. He then asked if he could take an extra blanket. ‘Of course,’ I said. He pulled the blanket from the cupboard, picked up his hot chocolate, said, ‘Thanks Mum,’ and went out.

The next morning I trudged off down the street to work. On the corner sat the homeless man. But now his lap was covered with the blanket Chad had taken out the night before. On the pavement near him was the flask that had contained hot chocolate. I thought about how I would do anything for my children, yet I had ignored the needs of this child of God.

I vowed to bring the man lunch the next day, but when I got to the corner, he had gone. I had missed the opportunity to show the compassion that my son had so freely displayed.

 

Prayer: Dear God, fill us with compassion so that we will act to help those in need. Amen