Travelin', Broke and Smelly...

"Travelin', broke and smelly" etched on a cardboard sign, being held by a tired-looking man in his thirty's or early forty's, with a large duffel bag at his feet, met my car at a stop light today. I often see people holding handmade signs, standing on street corners, walking among cars at stop lights or greeting shoppers as the leave the plaza. A begging man with a sign, not an unusual thing. What was different this time were the words. Most signs begin with "tired" or "hungry" or most often, " homeless." They go on to describe their desire for money, work or food.

This time, I was intrigued. What was this man's intention? Where was he going? Where was he from? Why has he no one to take him in? Was this a planned trip? Who would actually admit that they were broke? Okay, many would but...smelly? How would admitting he was smelly help him in his plight? Personally, I didn't want to smell anything. As the light turned and I pulled away, one last thought came to mind. It was this. When he was a little boy, did he ever dream he would label himself as " broke" and "smelly?" Much less, stand and tell complete strangers at a street corner and beg. I am willing to bet his dreams and aspirations were far from his reality today. Heartbreaking.

As so often happens, the Lord gently caught my attention. His question to my heart was this. Isn't everyone traveling, broke and smelly, Michelle? Not in a physical sense, but in the larger picture of ..."what are we here for?" This place called earth, this mortal life, this job, this family, this disease, this debt, this pain, even death, this is not our end. We are travelers. 1 Peter 2:11 (The Message) says this "Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it." 2 Corinthians 4: 17- 15:1 says; "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." Heaven and eternity is the destination for those of us who love the Lord. No one on this earth stands still. We are all traveling. Where is your heart? Where are you traveling to? We all have a final destination.

What does that man see as he stands at the intersection? Does he see himself surrounded by failed aspirations in the form of those that pass by and seem far better off than he? What does he think as one more person gazes in his direction then quickly looks away? Does he feel unworthy and worthless? Does he wonder if he picked the wrong place to stop? Does he wonder if life will ever get better? Does he even let himself wonder any more? Have you ever stopped wondering? Sometimes even that is too painful to bear. We are so overwhelmed by where we are at and wondering how in the world we got here that we no longer even dream of better. We don't even let ourselves wonder. Conversely, do your thoughts find you always seeing other's success, possessions and apparent blessings and wonder when your time will come, if your time I'll come? Are you looking around or are you fixing your eyes where they should be? Look at 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 again, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." This world is not your home. Look up. He who created you and numbered the hairs on your head and loves you deeper than you can fathom has prepared a better place, an eternal perfect, for travelers who have planned their trip well.

A chaplain friend of mine posted this on his Facebook page recently and it sums it up so well; "I asked a sweet little lady Alzheimer's patient today if there was anything troubling her expecting the usual disjunct response. What I got was short and surprisingly conjunct..."I look up!" Profound. It moved me. Thus endeth the lesson." Where are you looking? Look up and continue the journey!This is not your home.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the sacrifice of your Son Jesus Christ, thank you that I can look beyond tomorrow with a hope and a future because of You. Thank you for saving my soul. Help me to focus up when my thoughts turn away from you and all that you promised to me. Help me to remember that this world is not my home. In Jesus name, amen.

To be continued..