The Face of God

A few years ago, there was a television show I loved to watch each week. The concept was intriguing and thought provoking and each week, I felt I learned something (or at the least, had my thoughts pushed in new directions). The name of the show was “Joan of Arcadia”, a cute (?) take on Joan of Arc. The premise of the show was that God talked to this young teenage girl through the people she met in her daily life. Sometimes it was a bus driver, sometimes the janitor at her high school or a homeless teenage girl she met on the bus. Once it was even a little girl, who spoke clearly to Joan about whatever moral issue she was dealing with that week. God helped her to see who needed help, how to help them, or just how to sit up and notice other people. I loved the idea of God speaking through random human beings at random times about life.

In real life, working at Hope House has increased my faith exponentially and the giving I receive from my clients has helped me to understand a radical concept. Are you ready? Because sometimes I think my views are “radical” to some—anyway, here goes:

“I have met God face to face!”

Wow! Yes, I am still here—no lightening struck, I am not blind and God has not forsaken me (at least, He hasn’t told me He has!). Radical or not, this statement is perfectly true, both for me and for all of you. The truth is we meet God everyday in the faces of those we interact with (heck, we meet Him even when we don’t interact with someone---which is why we should all pay closer attention to each other, but that’s another blog). We are all part of the Body of Christ, we are all members of the family of mankind and we are all fellow travelers on this journey we call life. So let me introduce you to some of the faces God has shown to me:

·       A newborn baby girl, sweetly sleeping in her mother’s arms.

·       A 3 year old boy, peering around my office door, offering a “fist bump” and a grin.

·       A pregnant teenage girl, face showing both fear and wonder.

·       An exhausted young single mom, carrying one child and holding the other tightly by the hand.

·       A migrant worker, hands stained purple from the raspberries he was picking all week.

·       A homeless teenage boy with three tattoos and 4 piercings.

·       A bewildered middle aged father who has never not had a job—until now.

·       A mentally ill, confused and difficult young woman.

·       A grizzled, smoky smelling homeless vet, grateful for a hot cup of coffee and some dry socks.

·       An elderly widow, leaning heavily on her walker.

·       A young disabled man in a wheelchair, unable to communicate clearly to the world.

These are the faces of God I meet—all of them with one common trait—they are all God in disguise. How would you treat Him if He presented himself to you in need? Perhaps in a less than attractive body or personality? If we believe we are called to be Christ present to each other here on earth, where and with whom do you draw the line?

How many times have you met God today?