Right in front of Me

Every Wednesday we visit with a group of kids here in Cancun who live in an Emergency Shelter at what is called the DIF. A couple of weeks ago while we were there doing games and activities with the kids this picture was taken of me and two children.

As you look at it you're not even sure what emotion to feel are you? You want to be happy for the little boy who I'm hugging, and tickling, and paying attention to, but somehow the emotions of joy quickly become overshadowed by the poor little girl crying her eyes out right next to us.

When I first saw this picture I almost felt convicted, or ashamed, because to be honest, I don't even remember the girl crying, or why she was crying, or anything - and she was less than a foot away from me! Even my 10 year old daughter saw the picture and asked me, "Dad, why was she crying?", "I don't know, I didn't even notice," I said. "Dad! What do you mean you didn't notice," she exclaimed!

I know, it sounds terrible at first doesn't it? I mean who could be standing right there loving on one child, but completely ignoring the other? But then God reminded me that in that very moment of the lesson He had for me in the picture. God wanted me to see that He had me there that day for a very specific reason: to love on that little boy, to love on the one right in front of me.

How many times do we find ourselves overwhelmed by "life", and all that is going on around us? It's easy to feel that way, isn't it? I mean, we get overwhelmed with what's going on in our family, with what's going on at work, or sometimes just by the length of our "to do list". And then if we can even begin to look outside of our own situation...forget it, huh?

I wonder how many times we get caught up in all the things pulling for our attention, and miss the God-moment that is right in front of us. How many times do we miss the moment that God has literally put right in our lap? How many times do we miss the moment to love on the little boy who needed a hug because we are too distracted by the little girl crying?

For years people have posed the question to us, "How do you not just find yourself overwhelmed with all the need, and with case after case of the types of children you deal with?" For years my response has been basically the same. I try to live "in the moment, and seek what God has for me". I realize that I cannot meet every single child's need - but I can meet the need of the one that God brings to my attention. That is, if I'm paying attention!

Throughout our years of working with children and teens here in Mexico we have come to love the description of God in the scripture as a "Father to the Fatherless". We believe it is part of the very call He has for us, to be the hands and feet of Christ, and to love on the fatherless that God places in our lives.

Sometimes that is as simple as giving a hug, or playing a game. Sometimes that means listening, having a meaningful conversation, or simply being there. It doesn't really matter what it ends up looking like, the point is really just about our obedience. It really all boils down to listening to God, living in the moment, and being Jesus to the one He places right in front of me.