Who WAS she?

Last night I attended a worship service and fellowship for a group to which I belong. There were probably 100 - 150 people there. We started with a little music, then ate, then went for a talk, communion, more worship and home. As we started to line up for the the food, a woman walked in that no one knew. Her face was extremely deformed. She was unkempt. She had a tote bag that was filled with bags and stuff. She walked with a purpose...yet aimless...at the same time. She definitely did NOT "fit in"...

She walked through the room toward the bathroom. I thought maybe she was homeless and saw the church open so she wanted to come in a while. I kind of lost her in the crowd. But I did notice that people stopped and stared.

After most people had gone through the line, I saw her again. She was at the food table and she started yelling at the people around her, "I'm leaving!" "I'm just going to go home." "Back to my cats!" and many other things that simply didn't make sense. A few ladies went over to her and tried to calm her down and actually get her to sit down and eat. Their words were gentle and kind. She finally did.

I watched a friend of mine usher her to her own table and the seat next to her. This is where I felt a twinge of guilt as I didn't know if I would have done that as willingly and gracefully as my friend seemed to! I watched my friend with her. She got her settled down and started writing down information as she talked to her. I thought: "Maybe they are going to call the authorities...she was definitely 'off'." No authorities came. She simply treated this woman as if she was somebody!

We moved to the chapel and after communion, we made a huge circle around the chapel....there she was standing across the room from me praising the Lord! Again, I was struck how people had opened their hearts and arms to welcome her. They seize the opportnity to reach out to someone in need.

On the way home we asked ourselves: "WHO was she?" And someone wondered if she was just a wanderer, homeless, alone. I said she may have been...but I couldn't get the verse about "entertaining angels unaware" OR the song by Mercy Me "We are the Body" out of my head!

And then I prayed that the VERY next time I had the opportunity to minister to some "less desirable" that I would do so (like my friend) with a willing spirit and joy!! I asked God to help me remember that we can ALL be parts of the body of Christ and thanked Him for sending this reminder gently through this woman and through this evening!

"Matthew 25
35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"