A few years ago, a group of salesmen were heading to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had promised their wives they’d be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. Little did they anticipate that their cab ride would be caught in a huge jam and they barely reached the airport with only minutes to spare.
With their tickets and briefcases in hand, they darted through the bustling airport terminal like a pack of racehorses. Just then, disaster struck – as they passed by a table displaying a neat pyramid of shiny apples for sale, the table came crashing down.
Apples rolled everywhere. it was debatable whether or not they had actually knocked into the table, but in their desperate rush to make it for the flight they glanced back for only a second before rushing onward.
All but one! One salesman skidded to a halt, his conscience tugging at him. He took a deep breath and surveyed the chaotic scene – a young girl frantically trying to gather the scattered apples with tears of frustration streaming down her cheeks. Whilst his friends boarded the plane, this man made a snap decision. “Go on without me!” he called out, waving them off.
“Mike don’t be stupid, you’re gonna miss the flight.” His friend called out. But He waved him on, “Tell my wife I’ll be on the later flight.” Mike then turned back and knelt beside the girl who was struggling to find her scattered apples admidst the swarm of people.
And boy was he glad he did. As Mike gathered the apples, he realized that the 16-year-old girl running the stand was actually blind! She was softly crying, tears streaming down her cheeks in frustration as she groped for her spilled produce amidst the rushing crowd. No one else stopped to help or even seemed to care about her plight.
He knelt on the floor beside her and meticulously picked up each apple, setting aside the bruised and battered ones into a separate basket. “It’s gonna be okay,” he murmured reassuringly as he organized the display. When the last apple was back in place, Mike reached into his wallet and pulled out $40. “Here, please take this for the damage that was caused. Are you alright dear?” he asked gently. The $40 was way more than the amount of spoilt apples for sale.
The girl nodded through her tears, a mixture of gratitude and initial confusion. “I hope your day wasn’t too ruined. But at least we got the apples back and you still made top sales” Mike said with a warm smile.
As he turned to leave, the girl’s voice stopped him in his tracks. “Mister?” she called out, as he paused and turned back to her. “Are you Jesus?”
He froze, stunned by her question. Of course he was going to instinctively answer “no”, but the way the girl asked the question made him wonder…
Perhaps he was being “Jesus” today, not in the literal sense, but by following the example of Christ and leading with love instead of selfish reasons. Maybe that’s why he felt such a wonderful feeling growing in his heart right now. Who knew that this innocent question could turn out to be such a big compliment for him?
“I can’t say that I am dear, but I sure hope to be like him,” Mike replied with a smile.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
– Matthew 25:40
Compassion and kindness can make us reflections of the goodness we admire in others. In moments of choice, choosing to help others not only aids them but also defines the best within us. This devotional post draws lessons from the story of Mike, a salesman who chose compassion over convenience. His story offers profound insights into the importance of empathy, selflessness, and embodying Christ-like qualities in our everyday lives.
Embodying Christ in Our Actions
Are you Jesus? It’s a simple question that carries so much meaning for us believers. Simply put, are we embodying Christ in our every day actions?
To embody Christ in our actions means to live out His teachings through love, compassion, and selflessness. It means choosing to help others even when it’s inconvenient, forgiving those who have wronged us, and serving those in need. In doing so, we become living examples of Christ’s love, and our actions can inspire others to see Jesus in us.
Prayer for Selflessness
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the examples of compassion and selflessness that inspire us to live according to Your will. Help us to slow down and recognize the needs of those around us, and give us the courage to act with kindness and love, even when it’s inconvenient. Teach us to trust in Your plan and to embody the teachings of Christ in our daily lives. May our actions reflect Your love and bring glory to Your name.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
