A Different Version of Footsteps
JUDGE ME BY THE FOOTPRINTS I LEAVE BEHIND
A story is told about a soldier who was finally
coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He
called his parents from San Francisco. "Mom and
Dad, I'm coming home, but I've got a favor to ask.
I have a friend I'd like to bring with me."
"Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him."
"There's 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 a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I
want him to come live with us."
"I'm 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."
"Son," said the father, "you don't know what you're
asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a
terrible burden on 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."
At that point, the son hung up the phone. The
parents heard nothing more from him. A few days
later, however, they received a call from the
San Francisco police. Their son had died after
falling from a building, they were told. The police
believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents
flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city
morgue 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.
The parents in this story are like many of us. We
find it easy to love >> those who are good-looking
or fun to have around, but we don't like people who
inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We
would rather stay away from people who aren't as
healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are.
Thankfully, there's someone who won't treat us that
way-someone who loves us with an unconditional love
that welcomes us into the forever family, regardless
of how messed up we are.
Tonight, before you tuck yourself in for the night,
say a little prayer that God will give you the
strength you need to accept people as they are and
to help us all be more understanding of those who
are different from us!!!
There's a miracle called "Friendship" that dwells
in the heart. You don't know how it happens or when
it gets started. But you know the special gift it
always brings and you realize that Friendship is
one of God's most precious gifts!
Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make
you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend
an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always
want to open their hearts to us.
|