Are You Jesus?

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."1

I read how, "A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

"All but one.... He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

"He told his buddies to go on without him, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal

where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

"He was glad he did.

"The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, and helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.
"The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

"When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

"As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister....' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?'
"He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning in his soul: 'Are you Jesus?'"2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I am available, please use me to be 'as Jesus' in some way today to every life I touch, and grant that they, seeing Jesus in me, will want you for themselves. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. The Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV).2. Author unknown.