When I was walking into our local grocery store the other day, a man was approaching the entrance from the opposite direction. Seeing him look towards the parking lot, I did the same.
A woman had parked in the handicapped parking stall and was exiting her vehicle. Thinking nothing of it, I looked away and continued into the store. The man however, must have thought something different, because he said, "She sure doesn't look like she needs to park there!"
I wasn't sure I heard him correctly so I replied, "Pardon me?"
He repeated himself very clearly.
We were inside the store now. I stopped, turned around and looked at him.
"You know sir, we don't know her story. A few months ago I was laid up in bed with severe sciatic pain. When I was finally able to move around, I needed to get outside, so my husband took me to Costco as an outing. I knew I wouldn't be able to walk the whole store, so we rented one of those electric carts. I sure got some stares from people. Although I could get out of the cart and select an item here and there, I needed that cart. Again, we don't know her story."
He responded with an unsympathetic response, and we parted ways.
Perspective. It changes everything.
The man couldn't see any obvious physical limitations, and from his perspective, the woman wasn't suitable to utilize the parking space.
To me, although I would agree that the woman didn't appear to have any physical limitations, neither did I when I needed to rent that electric cart. From my perspective, it didn't matter that I couldn't see the reason she needed the parking spot. She used it, so she must need it.
I wonder what the Lord's perspective would be on this.
I personally wonder if the Lord is more concerned with our responses to people when we see things "outside of the norm" or "outside of what we would expect."
Here is what I know: The Lord Jesus had compassion on people when He saw them. He didn't only see the physical realities but went deeper into the heart of the matter. He had a Kingdom perspective.
As I walked around the grocery store, collecting what we were having for dinner, I felt the Lord speaking to me.
"Pray for him."
Pardon me? I thought. He was really rude to me, and he's really bitter.
Again, "Pray for him."
My interaction with the man was never about the woman. It was a reminder for me to pray for those who have responses that are outside of what I would expect.
Lord, please comfort this man in the areas he has been hurt, that have caused him to have responses such as he did. I'm sorry for not having a more compassionate response to him. Help me to see people with Your perspective. Especially those who have some rough edges.
