THE HOME-COMING

The following story is about an American 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 favour to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring with me." "Sure," they replied, "we would 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 and 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 plans. 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 did not 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 is Someone Who won’t treat us that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love, that welcomes us into God’s family, regardless of how messed up we are. [Dunamis - July/August 1999]. "Come to Me and I will give you rest - all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke. Wear My yoke - for it fits perfectly - and let Me teach you; for I am gentle and humble, and you shall find rest for your souls; for I give you only light burdens (Matt. 11:28, Life Application Bible).