John 3:16

I've been a Christian for so long (uh... 3 ish years?) that sometimes I lose sight of the reason I was attracted to Christianity in the first place. I witnessed something cool today. This year I've noticed this new guy on campus. He caught my eye because he has a "disability' in one of his legs which causes him to walk with a permanent limp. I see him around a lot and always feel awkward walking around him or looking at his leg. Today at lunch I saw him again sitting by himself. I wonder how he deals with the cruelty of the world. Even without a disability, I can't go on a day without caring about how others judge me. A sudden sadness swept over me and immediately my inner-Christian reminded me that like Jesus, I should reach out to those that are broken or rejected, even if it can be an socially awkward gesture. But of course I did not and instead decided to be content with the mere feeling of sympathy which I thought would somehow reach him in invisible waves. But then something really inspiring happened. I noticed this other guy approaching the table and asking the first guy for permission to join him. Wait... I know him from Cru. He's the hot-shot football player that all the girls obsess over. He's got that charming smile and a very nice built. But you know how the stereotype of jocks goes. Don't get me wrong, a lot of them are as spiritual as anyone. But still to me they always seemed very macho and apathetic, without much sensitivity to their surroundings. Seeing the two of them laughing and chatting it up over lunch warmed my heart so much. It just blew my mind to think about how awkward or rare the situation might appear to nonbelievers. Before I became a Christian, the idea of approaching any stranger seeking friendship or a chance to share spiritual truth was foreign and incomprehensible to me. Every action needs a selfish motive but what I saw today just demonstrated so much Christ-like selflessness and compassion. Some people think Christians are radical but I need to learn to be comfortable with people thinking that of me, because radical is exactly what I want to be. Because it doesn't make social sense that a perfect God would come down to earth and die for us when we're still sinners. What's the personal pleasure and gain in that? When people accept this wondrous love and reciprocate it to other people, thats when I really see Christ in them. Christianity isn't all about a set of beliefs that a group of people happen to agree with. It's about having an intimate relationship with God and modelling a life after Christ. How can you say that you don't see God's presence when there are mini-Christs right on campus, one-minded with God Himself, risking judgment and ridicule for the glory of His Kingdom?