Years ago I did something so shameful that it has stuck in my mind.  It’s been over 30 years now.  But the memory is quite vivid.

I was walking into Troy, Montana, from my father-in-law’s property.  As I came into town I saw a man walking toward me.  He was quite shabbily dressed.  His beard hung low.  And everything I saw about him spoke of something my momma would have told me to avoid.   So I crossed to the other side of the road so that we might pass without saying “hi”.

As he drew near he spoke to me from across the road.  “Don’t run away from things you don’t understand.”  I looked at him and walked on by.  How shameful to judge that man by his appearance.  How deeply that experience cut into my heart.

And now, I see people avoid me because of the words I speak.  They don’t even get to avoid my body on an isolated road.  Now, I embrace every soul I can get near.  I recognize when others switch sides of the road as they come near.  But even those I will acknowledge with my eyes or heart.

I thought I would post this because………….. well, I don’t know.  Perhaps the Lord can use this to help others.