There are many stories that come to us, some of which are hard to identify or corroborate (to attest the truth of). This story was given to me by Rocco & Darlene Badenhorst, missionaries from South Africa now residing in the United States. Even though I may not be able to "track down" the origin of this story, the timeless truth of the moral of the story still rings home, loud and clear. So I place this story here, as a modern-day parable perhaps. However, if anyone can verify and send me the facts of this story, please do so, and I will give credit to the originator and the authenticity of this story.
Author Unknown
"Sure", they replied. "We'd love to meet him, son."
"There is something you should know", the son continued. "He was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mine and lost an arm and leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."
"We're sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live."
"No, Mom and Dad...I want him to live with us."
A soldier was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco, where he was in the process of leaving the military after faithfully serving his country. "Mom and Dad," he told them, glad to hear their voices. "I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I'd like to bring a friend home with me."
There was a silence, then the father finally said, "Son, you don't know what you're asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden to us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."
There was more silence, and suddenly and quietly the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him, until a few days later, when they received a call from the San Francisco police. The police told them their son had died after falling from a building. The police believed it was suicide.
The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue, where they had to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know... their son had only one arm and one leg. He, himself, was the man he wanted to bring home to his Mom and Dad.
We are so much like the parents in this story. We find it easy to love those who are normal, nice looking or fun to have around. We don't like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren't healthy, beautiful, or as smart as we believe we are. We don't want the inconviences that true love will many times bring into our lives.
"Jesus said, 'Depart from me' ... and they replied, 'Lord when did we not love you and help you?' And Jesus said, 'When you didn't do it for one of the least of these, then you didn't do it to me'."
God often comes into our lives in many disguises, and God loves us with an unconditional love and welcomes us into his family forever, regardless of how messed up we are.
"For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 (KJV)
We, as His faithful children, are called by Him and instructed to reach out to others in the same unconditional way, no matter their looks, skin color or physical condition. This is True Love.
since February 29, 2000