"THE HUG"

The holiday season was just about to begin so the Kane family decided to go to IHOP for a late morning breakfast before a day of slapping the racks. Three year old JJ and his older sister, five year old Ty loved those french sticks with powdered sugar. The restaurant was about half full but they were the only family with any children. JJ was sitting in a high chair and saying hi to anyone and everyone who would look his way.

Soon JJ began to laugh and giggle while pounding his high chair tray. JJ’s mother, Beth, looked at the other diners and found the source of JJ’s merriment. It was an older man whose hair was dirty, pants so baggy they had to be tied with a frayed rope and his shirt was very dirty. His toes poked out of worn out shoes and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. He was the textbook definition of a skid row bum. The Kane family wasn’t seated too far from him and Beth was certain she smelled a combination of booze and body odor.

The bum waved his hands while making faces followed by covering his eyes then yelling “peek-a-boo” at baby JJ. The rest of the diners had been quiet so this man’s yelling was creating a scene. The other diners would look at the bum then look at the Kanes which prompted Beth to ask her husband, “What should we do?” JJ continued to laugh and giggle with the bum’s antics and making faces. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with the Kane's beautiful and innocent baby.

Finally, their breakfast came but the bum began shouting louder, “Do you patty cake?” Nobody in IHOP thought the bum was cute. He was obviously intoxicated. Beth and her husband ate in silence, too embarrassed to look up but JJ was admiring the skid row bum who in turn kept up with the loud admiration of JJ.

They finally finished their meal and headed for the door while Mr. Kane went to pay the check and told Beth to meet him in the parking lot. Beth was panic struck as the old skid row bum was sitting between her and the door. Beth mumbled a prayer to herself, “Lord, just let me get out of here before that drunk speaks to me or my baby.

Beth tried to turn her back and sidestep the bum to avoid any odors he might be emitting and any air he might be breathing. But when she turned her back, JJ leaned over her arm and stuck both of his baby arms out in the “pick me up position”. Before Beth could stop the baby, he had propelled himself out of her arms and into the bum’s grasp. Suddenly, a very smelly old bum and Beth’s sweet baby were expressing their new kinship and love. JJ in an act of total trust and love, laid his tiny head upon this man’s shoulder, filthy shirt and all.

Beth noticed the old bum’s eyes closed and tears dropping down his cheek as he cradled her baby. The old bum’s aged hands full of grime, pain and hard labor hugged Beth’s sweet baby as he gently rocked JJ with his eyes still closed and tears glistening on his cheeks. It was evident no two beings ever loved so deeply for such a short time. Beth was awestruck.

The old bum opened his eyes and stared at Beth while in a firm commanding voice said “You take good care of this baby.” Beth, felt like she had stones in her throat managed, “I will” as the old bum handed back her baby.

The old man said “God Bless you, ma’am. You have given me the best Christmas gift.” Beth said nothing more and with JJ in her arms she ran for the car crying every step of the way.

Beth got JJ in his car seat and got herself in the car shaking and crying while saying, “My God, my God, please forgive me.” Beth’s husband asked her what was wrong. Beth, her tears mixed with mascara and makeup was streaming down her face when she told her husband she had just witnessed Christ’s love shown through the innocence of a small child who saw no sin and who made no judgment. JJ saw a soul while Beth saw an old man in dirty clothes who needed a bath.

Beth was a Christian who was blind holding a baby who was not. Beth felt like God was asking her to share her son just for a moment while He had shared His Son for all eternity.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, reminded Beth that “unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

Most of us, just like Beth, would not have recognized God at work with her baby and the skid row bum. You might want to take a deep breath and have a seat because to learn A-List Christians and back row Christians miss seeing and experiencing the loving God who created heaven and earth more times than not. Salt the fact down again, we are mostly unaware of God’s everyday presence in our lives.

Take Mary Magdalene for example. Right after Jesus resurrection, she thought Jesus was the gardener. (John 20:14-15) Or, how about Jacob who said it best when he awoke from his dream of the ladder to heaven as he heard God say, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” When Jacob awoke he stated, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Genesis 28:16) Or Peter’s comments which nailed it dead center when he said, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)

Heck, ‘ol Moses was more intrigued by the burning bush not being completely engulfed than suspecting it was God. Instead of slapping Moses silly to get his brain working, God made the burning bush talk to Moses. (Exodus 3:3-4)

Certainly we recognize God is present when we witness one of those “God deals” or a miracle healing or an amazing triumph over a difficult trial but we just flat miss seeing God on a day to day basis. Most of us would give our last dollar to know God was with us everyday 24/7 but sadly we are mostly unaware He already is present. God plainly tells us he is never far from us. (Acts 17:27) Yet like 'ol Moses, we need a burning bush or donkey to talk to us to realize God is near.

We need to learn there is nothing which occurs in our lives so commonplace but that God is present. It’s on us to recognize Him or not to recognize Him.

Loving and Forgiving God, thank You for being present in our lives every minute of every day. Please help us to concentrate more on our surroundings than ourselves so we can recognize Your presence more and more. Teach us to satisfy our desire to be close to You starts with us overcoming the "me, me, me syndrome". Give us a mindset to think of You first and ourselves second. Lord, thank You for always being close by so I can "Turn My Eyes" to You and know You are with me every step of the way!