God Looks at the Heart

Recently I had to take a car full of junk to the dump, including an old mattress.

I pulled up to the place, and in front of me was a pick up truck that was also dumping things, so I pulled up behind him and started unloading. I got everything out of the car and put it in the dumpster, but then came to the mattress. If you have ever tried to move a mattress, you know its hard! And it is especially hard if it is an old one that doesn’t hold its shape anymore or have handles on the side of it! I was able to pull it out of my car, and start to lift it up to the dumpster, but I just could not get it over the edge. The guy in front of me was a big burly guy. He saw what was happening but had no desire to help and he got in his truck and left! Then there was someone behind me waiting for me to finish, also looking strong, but he stayed in his truck. He was clearly not going to get out and help either.

I was stuck.

Then on the other side of the dumpster I saw a worker. Now the workers are not supposed to help you with anything. That is the rule. But I said to him that I know he isn’t supposed to help, but would he be willing to just help me lift this mattress up into the dumpster this one time. He hesitated for a second but said yes. Several people were around me dumping their trash in other dumpsters, and they looked at me like I was a horrible person. They couldn’t believe I asked him to help me. And I could not figure out why since it didn’t seem like a big deal. If I couldn’t do it, why shouldn’t I ask him to help me, especially since no one else would.

And then he came around the corner to my side of the dumpster – and I realized why they were all looking at me like that. Turns out he was disabled. He was unable to use most of his legs and was only able to walk with these metal crutches and by dragging his legs.

As I watched him make his way over to my side, I stood there – unsure what to do. Do I tell him, “oh never mind”? Do I apologize and say I didn’t realize you were disabled?

But since he had made the decision that he was going to help me I let him. He made his way over, leaned his body against the dumpster to balance himself so he could put the crutches down, and helped me lift the mattress over the top. We did it!

There were lots of people that day that could have helped me. But no one but this man was willing to do so. And I am so glad I didn’t see that he was disabled before I asked him to help me. Because I probably would not have asked. I would have assumed that he could not help me. I would have made a judgment based on what I saw physically.

Aren’t we glad that God never looks at the outside? Aren’t we glad that God does not judge us the way we judge each other? God always looks at what is in the heart.

Too bad we don’t.