Bare Feet, Boots, and a Man in Blue

Like most Americans, I've about O.D.'ed on news about elections, economic cliffs and eruptions in the Middle East. It's all important, but it's not exactly in the "joy to the world" category.

So I'm loving the feel-good story out of New York City that's gone viral across Facebook. About the friendly policeman and the freezing homeless man. It's got "Christmas story" written all over it.

In case you missed it, a young police officer, on patrol in Times Square, came upon a homeless man, sitting barefoot on the sidewalk. It was a "two pairs of socks" night for the officer - and even then his feet were freezing. He couldn't imagine a man sitting there barefoot all night.

So the man in blue went inside a nearby store and bought the homeless man a $100 pair of boots. With his own money. When he gave those boots to that barefoot man - well, you can imagine the joy.

It would have been one of life's invisible acts of kindness except for a tourist with a cellphone camera. She was so moved with what she was watching, she snapped a picture. Which has now been seen by millions.

Maybe because it's the Christmas season, that poignant scene triggered a flashback to something my personal Hero did. Over and over again. It's one of the many things that make me love Him. That would be Jesus.

The incident I remembered took place when Jesus was entering a town, surrounded by crowds anxious to see Him. The Bible says there was a blind beggar who heard that "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Much to the aggravation of the people around Jesus, he started shouting loudly, "Jesus...have mercy on me!"

Lots of annoyed people told him in no uncertain terms to shut up. Or "shutteth up" (sounds more Biblical). So he just shouted louder. The blind man was a nuisance, an embarrassment with this "celebrity" in town.

Then two little words that tell me so much about Jesus. "Jesus stopped" (Luke 18:40). Nobody else stopped. But Jesus did. Not for the mayor. Not for the millionaires. Not for the ministers. But for the miserable. The guy everyone else walked by or walked over. That's the people Jesus stops everything for.

And the first thing that blind man ever saw was the face of Jesus. Because Jesus did what only He could do - gave that man his sight.

The Bible's filled with stories of people nobody would stop for - except Jesus. Marginalized people like blind Bartimaeus. Obnoxious people like Zacchaeus. Condemned people like the woman caught in the act of adultery. Even the hardened criminal on the cross next to His - in His agony He answered the thief's cry for mercy. And guaranteed him heaven.

For 2,000 years, Jesus has been stopping for the lonely...the losers...the lost. And letting them know that Someone knows their name. Someone hears their cry. Someone really loves them. God's one and only Son.

He sees me - He sees a world - lost in sin, away from God and headed for an awful eternity. And does what no one else could do. What no religion could ever do. He pays for my sins. With His blood. "He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; He was lashed - and we were healed!" (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus stopped for me - when my soul was destitute and doomed. "Once I was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see."

He might be passing your way today. He knows your name. He knows your scars. He knows your sin - He died for it. And He's reaching your direction. To do what only He can do.