The "Heart" of the Matter

I see all kinds of crazy things while driving to work...no seriously....Friday while at a traffic light I saw a van that passed by that said..."Design a Casket.com" .... Do I hear any volunteers that want to rush to their website and put your Picasso flair onto a sketch pad for your casket!! Seriously....folks...this is ridiculous!

That was just a side note to what the real "heart" of the matter is that has been placed inside of me, especially over the weekend. Recently I was blessed with the opportunity to begin a new ministry....God has stirred in me to begin "Life Moment Photography". With this opportunity I am offering free photography to those facing life threatening illnesses. No, I am not a professional and don't profess to be one either, but I feel that God has given me an "eye" to zoom in at the right moment and capture "joy" in a picture. I took several of my mom while she was battling pancreatic cancer...and they are "precious memories" to me now...

Two days after this idea was created in my mind.....I get my first phone call. It's from a mom that has a young son with only months to live. I get prepared and go over there....I quickly find out that she lives differently than I do. I see by the stressed look on her face that life has dealt her a hard blow....to her own consequences?? Maybe, but definitely not for me to decide. Honestly I don't know if I should even be there...I feel out of place. These people stare at me, and I at them...our worlds collide. We are different, so different. We have different values, different beliefs, different ideals in life. Different views of what is important, of what looks clean, of what looks dirty....totally different. But during the photo session something happens. The precious little fellow's younger brother accidentally hits his sore leg, tender from a previous operation. He melts down into the couch and begins to softly cry with pain....at this point I am kneeling next to him and I see close up the exchange.....the young mother holds her son, and silently her fearful tears are released....she weeps. I see that we are exactly the same at that very moment. Her heart and my heart intertwine for just a brief moment...but it is long enough for me to know that the outward things no longer matter....its the "heart" .

In I Samuel there is a story that speaks of the heart....honestly it reminds me of the fairy tale Cinderella. Jesse brings before Samuel all of his sons whom he feels is ready to be anointed....but all of them pass before Samuel (except one) and not any of them are deemed by him to be anointed...so he asked..."are these all of your sons"....Jesse replies..."all except one, the youngest, he is out tending the sheep" (all quotations in my own words) ... then Samuel asks Jesse to send for him.....and Samuel anointed him. In verse 6 when the eldest son is about to pass before Samuel , Jesse exclaims "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him" But in verse 7 it reads "But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart".

Wow....what a revelation to me....what a lesson for me to learn....heard this scripture all my life....but last Friday ...while kneeling and watching a hurting young boy....his last months here on earth......I beheld the true "heart of the matter"....I watched a mother love him....and comfort him....exactly like I would....and suddenly the differences that appeared so noticeable at first....came crashing down....and we were the same.....we were of one heart.

Today, I challenge you.....if you happen to come upon someone who..... may not look like you, may not dress life you, may not smell like you....please ....do me a favor.... take just a moment.....to get to "the heart of the matter" try and see things differently....the way the Lord saw them in 1 Samuel....you may be quite surprised at what you find....I know I was!

Blessings