What's Worth More?

      How do you find yourself at lunch with a blind man, a street kid, and an intern?

      The other day John Macharia and I set out to live life in the moment. To live in the moment like Christ, one has to deny oneself. We stood in the middle of a busy foot trafficked area in downtown Thika, and I asked John a few questions. Not your everyday questions. Questions that we rarely ask ourselves. As we stood looking around at all the people, I asked the first question.

      “Who is the one person that you see that would need the most help?”

      “I would like to help, but I don’t have any money to truly help.” This was the reply John came back with. So I asked the question again.

      We stood for a while and talked some more when I spotted a street-boy walking towards us. I commented to John that the boy was going to walk up to us and beg for money, and before he was near us, I asked John another question.

      “What’s worth more, 5 bob (6 American Cents) or a friend?”

      Before John could answer the street-boy had begun to beg for 5 bob and a cup of coffee. After the begging and introductions were done. I put my hand on Steve the street-boy’s shoulder and asked him the same question. What’s worth more?

      Steve gave a big smile and quickly replied. “A friend.” So I immediately asked Steve the first question of the day.

      “Who is the one person that you see that would need the most help?”

      Steve came back with another big smile and a simple answer. “A blind man.” So I asked Steve if he saw a blind man anywhere, and he guided us to the alleyway with the most traffic in Thika by the Matatu bus station.

      There standing was Patrick the blind man, who frequents this alley, singing and begging for money. After introductions and brief conversation, I asked Patrick my same line of questioning. This time I didn’t ask just the small amount of 5 bob. I simply asked money to display my point.

      “What’s worth more, money or a friend?”

      To my delight, Patrick, the blind man, replied in the most perfect of ways.

      “A friend. A friend whom God has sent.”

      I watched as Steve smiled and agree that it was his answer too.

      I invited both Steve and Patrick to join us for lunch. As I walked arm in arm guiding Patrick, we talked about what it means to be a friend, and what someone can do to display friendship. Not once was the answer about money. It was always time and encouragement.

      I asked Steve if he would like to guide Patrick, his new friend. Steve took Patrick’s arm and began guiding, but expressed to me that he did not know how to guide. He did just fine.

      At lunch we told stories of difficult pasts, encouraged each other, and even laughed together. I asked Steve if it felt good to help someone else. Steve’s joy and glee was so overwhelming that he sat with the biggest smile, giggling and bouncing. To which he replied, “Yes, more than anything.”

      We sat a while now, quietly smiling, and Steve broke the ice.

      “For a long time I have been giving to Patrick,” Steve says. “I give him 5 bob whenever I can, but he can’t ever know it’s me because he is blind.”

      Patrick replied. “I’ll know it’s you by your voice because you are my friend.”

      Living life in the moment for Christ and for others is the best way to learn what we need most. At the end of the day, I can tell you that even the least, in our city of Thika, know that a friend is worth the most.

Published August 20, 2011

 

If someone has enough money to live well and
sees a brother in need
but shows no compassion
how can God's love
be in that person?
1John 3:17