My husband and I met a man yesterday.  It was late and he was sitting on a bench inside Zaxby’s.  He had a backpack and a hoodie and looked a bit under dressed for the cold outside.  He wasn’t eating, just sitting.  

As my husband was waiting for our food to be ready, the man turned to him and began to ask him a few questions.  The end result was one final question, “Do you mind if I draw your picture?” He didn’t want money and was fine with a “no,” but would it be okay. Certainly.  

After a minute or two my husband got my attention and called me over as well.  This man was incredible.  With barely a look at him, he was drawing a wonderful likeness that was laden with enormous talent.  He drew and we watched and it took less than ten minutes.  When he was done, he signed it, titled it, and said thank you.  I told him what a gift he had and what beautiful work he did and even took their picture together.  He was kind and respectful and demur and immensely talented and had the sweetest countenance about him.  

I haven’t been able to get him off my mind.  I had looked right into his red, tired eyes and seen something unforgettable– indistinct, but unforgettable.

Also yesterday I heard a quote from a well known actress that was so harsh and so hateful and so misguided that I’d had trouble forgetting the hardness of her face as she spewed her cruelty.  To most of the world, she is a beauty.  She has the world’s attention and adoration and when she speaks, even in ignorance and hatred, we often listen.  

This artist could have spoken from that bench for hours without a soul giving heed to his voice.  

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.                            Hebrews 13:2

For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.                II Corinthians 11:14

To which do we usually defer, the one that looks like a random stranger or the one who glows like an angel of light?

What the world calls common, ordinary, or even refuse, the Lord calls angelic.  And that which our world lauds and panders to is so often the devil in disguise.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”              I Samuel 16:7

With such a high priority today on looking the part, I’d like to request a set of goggles, Lord.  Give me eyes to see that which actually is beautiful and to unmask that which simply appears to be.