Why are you crying?

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be able to leave school early to go to another school. It happens to be my daughters' school. I got to enjoy the 'puppet' show that the 5th graders put on each year at their school. The puppets are gigantic heads the students design and build, connected with large pieces of material to make the shirts, and then gigantic hands to complete the puppet. So the students bring them out into the courtyard and do a dance, and then act out a poem with thier gigantic puppets-which end up hanging in the hallways of the school for the next year. When Allison read her poem, my soul was overwhelmed, and tears popped out of my eye sockets. I'm not sure if it could even be described as 'crying', because it was more of an emotional outburst than crying. But this 'crying' was something that stuck with me for a while. I left the school and went for a run in prospect park-it was 90 something yesterday, and I have a hard time running when it is that warm. But I did it. As I ran, the question kept hitting me: Why are you crying? Because I have great pride in my daughter and her heart. For her joy in doing the right thing. Her joy in being a light. And I felt like God was showing me something in this. That this is the joy that overwhelms Him when I make wise choices. When I am a light. When He takes great pride in me.
So this week, I have taken the train to work each day. I have SO MUCH enjoyed not having to drive, the walk to and fro, and seeing the people, not just the stop lights along the way. (By the by, I might be the only white guy heading in the direction I travel to my school...) At the stop to get the train by our house, I noticed a homeless guy sitting there Tues and Wed. And I thought to myself as I went down the stairs Wed "I should bring him something to eat tomorrow." So I finish my run, and there he is, sitting on the bench near the crosswalk. So I stop and go talk to him. Bobby. He's a little hesitant at first, but I ask him if he needs anything-'You have any spare change?' Not on my run, no. But I could bring you something to eat tomorrow morning if you're going to be here. As I walk over the crosswalk, I pray for Bobby. I come to the realization that he probably deserves more grace than I have experienced. And for a moment, I'm crying again. Why are you crying? Because I realize that God loves Bobby so much. He takes pride in him when he makes good choices. He loves him uncontrollably, just like I love my daughter. And I can't stop crying. Because I know the love of God in my heart, and I am so thankful for His love and grace. So this morning I took a bag of things for Bobby-some food to eat. Not sure if I'll see him regularly or not, but I pray for him to experience God's love the way I do each day. Why are you crying?

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Anonymous said…
MAN: now I'm crying. tmp
May 27, 2010 at 12:37 PM
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