Remember people...while they live

There was a time when the popular actress Sophia Loren sobbed to her Italian movie director, Vittorio De Sica, over the theft of some of her jewelry. After hearing her lamenting over her loss, he said to her; "Listen to me, Sophia. I am much older than you and if there is one great truth I have learned about life, it is this: Never cry over anything that can't cry over you!"

What a lesson! People are more important than things! People are more important than cars and computers. People are more important than houses and furniture. People are more important than all material things - even jewelry! One of the biggest lessons that we need to learn is that God didn't put us here for us! God put us here for others! He made us all dependent upon Himself, and inter-dependent upon one another.

The Bible tells us in Second Corinthians 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble..." God comforts us so that we can comfort others. God ministers to us so that we can minister to others! God loves us so we can love others! God put us here for others.

In April 1863, in Columbus, Mississippi after decorating the graves of her two sons who served during the Civil War as Confederate soldiers, an elderly woman also decorated two mounds at the corner of the cemetery. An observer asked, "What are you doing? Those are the graves of two Union soldiers." Her reply was, "I know. I also know that somewhere in the North, a mother or a young wife mourns for them as we do for ours." It is important to remember people in death, but it is also important to remember people in life.

Maggie Keith, once a member of the First Christian Church of Iberia, Missouri, made it a practice of hers to remember people in life. She once told a friend, "I believe in giving flowers to the living." She remembered people in life, while they were still alive. She loved the living. We must do this as well and as well as we can because we may not get a second chance at loving some people. So we'd better love them while we can.

Jesus remembered people while they were living. The Bible tells us, "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Jesus was a looker. That is, He really looked at people. He looked at them outwardly and inwardly and there He could see their hurt, their pain, and their sorrow. Jesus was aware of the people around Him. He was sensitive to them. What about you? Helen Keller once said, "To be blind is bad, but it is worse to have eyes and not to see." Sometimes we are so blind to the pain of others, because we see only ourselves. If there is one thing that Jesus taught us to do, it's to love and care about others. And He did it the best.

There was a man who put up a sign in his yard that read: "Puppies for Sale." Among those who came to inquire was a young boy. "Please, Mister," he said, "I'd like to buy one of your puppies if they don¹t cost too much." "Well, son, they¹re $25 each." The boy looked crushed. "I¹ve only got two dollars and five cents. Could I see them anyway?" "Of course. Maybe we can work something out," said the man. The boy¹s eyes danced at the sight of those five little balls of fur. "I heard that one has a bad leg," he said. "Yes, I¹m afraid she¹ll be crippled for life." "Well, that¹s the puppy I want. Could I pay for her a little at a time?" The man responded, "But she¹ll always have a limp." Smiling bravely, the boy pulled up one pant leg, revealing a brace. "I don¹t walk good either." Then, looking at the puppy sympathetically, he continued, "I guess she¹ll need a lot of love and help. I sure did. It¹s not so easy being crippled." The man gulped, and trying to keep his emotions in check, he said, "Here, take her, I know you¹ll give her a good home. And just forget the money."

When we get to the point in our lives that we realize we too are crippled human beings, and in need of Christ purchasing our redemption due to our "fallen" state, then we too will have no problem demonstrating sympathy and compassion for others in their pain and suffering. We cannot understand what we have not experienced. In life, it doesn't matter who you are, but whether someone appreciates you for what you are - Jesus does.

Look around you. Look at the crowds. Look at the people, be aware, be sensitive and have compassion. Remember people while they live.

Gary Collette is the pastor of the Bread of Life Assembly of God in Westminster. Collette is one of the local worship leaders whose columns appear on a rotating basis in the new "A Simple Word" series.