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February 28
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another… Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” -1 John 4:11, 20, NIV
Most mornings, after I push through bumper-to-bumper traffic on my way to work, I arrive with just enough time to drop my bag and head out for a cup of coffee before the marathon of meetings starts.The same was true on a sunny fall day in D.C. I took my usual two-and-a-half block walk to a local deli. As I passed by, head down, scrolling through my calendar, I noticed a young man standing outside that deli. For a moment our eyes connected and then a brief pause followed by a hesitant voice that called out, “Excuse me, Sir. Can you spare some change?” It should not surprise you that in this rapidly changing, no cash currency exchange in which we live, I was not carrying cash. And as I write these words, I hear my grandmother saying, “Always keep a little something on you; just in case of emergency.”
I paused in my tracks recognizing that I was the “Sir,” that the request was presented to. Glancing up from my phone, I quickly replied, “I’m sorry, I don’t carry cash.” Unlike times before, moving hastily with the rhythm and flow of the city, I stopped long enough to recognize his humanity and his humility. My focus was no longer on how many meetings I had for the day or getting that much-needed cup of coffee. It was on this young man standing in front of me, asking for help. In that instance I realized that it could have been me.
I put my phone down and asked, “Are you hungry?” He immediately replied, “Yes!” Now focused on him, I said, “Let’s eat. Where would you like to go?” He said, “I wouldn’t mind eating in this deli, but they won’t allow me in there; they will only turn me away.” I said, “Well, I have every intention of stopping there today. I am sure they won’t turn you away.” As we walked into that deli, I noticed a plaque with scripture imprinted on it and currency with the inscription, “In God we trust,” being exchanged for service; yet the owner and a server immediately motioned to stop his entrance. I interrupted their stride by asking for a table for two. They were shocked and stumbled over their words, but eventually took us to a table.
I told him to get whatever he wanted. He queried once again, “Are you sure they will let me eat?” I asked his name and motioned for him to look at the menu. He ordered from the menu and even ate off the buffet. We sat and I listened to his story. It is one that we have all heard before—18, no parents, living in a shelter and working to figure out the best way to make it. I was moved to be still and hear and see him. After about 30 minutes of eating and talking, I heard the kindest thank you that I have ever received. “Thank you for stopping. Thank you for caring.”
I have not seen him since that day. I don’t know what became of him. But what I know is that for about an hour on one day, God positioned me to stop and to care. That is what Christ is calling us to do—to love and to love deeply. We tend to appreciate the idea of love until we are required to put action behind it. We love the parts of love that appear as butterflies and rainbows. However, we show up as frail and limited when challenged with difference. Certainly, there will be challenges in how we relate to each other, whether culturally, financially, spiritually or a combination of things. But how we experience people, witness to each other’s humanity, love people despite differences, accept and acknowledge others wherever they happen to be in life, and stop to say, “I care,” is what God calls us to.
REFLECTION: What if God considered you just another number? Walter Hawkins wrote it best, “…it could have been me, outdoors, no food, no clothes…just another number.”
Charles E. Collins, Jr.
CBF Pan African Koinonia Steering Committee
Senior Pastor, Sufficient Grace Ministries
Washington, D.C.
Love, Justice & Relationships
The 2024 Emmanuel McCall Lenten Devotional series is prepared by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship family and friends for the season of Lent. The McCall Lenten series features wonderful reflections on God’s Word, thought-provoking questions, prayers, art, music, noteworthy information and resources for action. Available in English and Spanish, this Lenten resource is intended for use by individuals, small groups and congregations.
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This passage is originally found in the 2024 Emmanuel McCall Lenten Devotional series, prepared by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship family and friends. It is a project of love that is designed to be read during the season of Lent, which begins February 14, 2024. Register to receive the daily devotional here.