Jesus Walked by My House Today

By Charlotte Riegel –

I was working in my yard, tending the flowers. A young man walked by on the sidewalk out front of my house and I noticed it was Jesus. He did not look my way so I chose not to greet him, though I pondered for some time what I might have said if I had spoken to Jesus.

“Hi Jesus! How are you today?”

He might have replied, “Fine. And you? Your flowers look lovely.”

“Thank you,” my response.

Trivial stuff. He was obviously on a mission and oddly enough, I did not feel particularly communicative.

It’s peculiar living in a theatre arts community with professional actors/actresses as neighbors and friends. The young man is playing the character of Jesus in this summer’s Canadian Badlands Passion Play. He did indeed walk by my house today and we do often chit-chat as friends.

I wonder how Jesus spoke with people when he was out and about in the community. I suspect there was plenty of trivial chit-chat, but I also ponder how He might have gotten past the trivial and down to the heart of where people were. For instance Zacchaeus, or the woman at the well.

Prayer: God, forgive me in my forgetfulness that You really do walk past my house, in ALL the people, not just the character in this play. I desire to be faithful to minister to You through them as You give me opportunity.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:37-40 NIV).