Monday, January 11, 2010

be someone...

It was her eyes. Beautiful, brown, tired eyes. She greeted everyone who walked through the door, but few noticed her and less acknowledged her welcome into the hotel dining room.

I wondered how they would’ve treated her if she was their mother, aunt, or sister. But she was a practical adornment. An ornate key hook, an antique table, a face to clean tables when visitors complete a meal.

She scrurried from table to table to pickup dishes, wipe down tables, and put out clean settings. As she drew near to my table, she asked me if she could remove my plate. I tried making a joke about the mess I’d made. It was funny. But my humor was lost in translation; a courtesy laugh, tilted head, and slow nod proved it.

I asked her name. I asked where she was from. I invited her to be more than a key hook, coffee table or brown face. It was then I saw something in her eyes. Her beautiful, brown, tired eyes. At the table she spoke to me and her eyes danced with excitement as she told me where she was from in her native language. She smiled as she spoke about far away places I could see in her eyes. Her beautiful, brown, tired eyes.

Luz Maria and I had a moment in the dining area. She wasn’t a table server or door attendee. She was human. She was a mother, aunt, and sister. She recalled a funny story and lost me before the punch line because she was speaking too fast. I laughed a courtesy laugh, tilted my head, and nodded. Some things might be lost in translation, but loving like Christ is a language everyone speaks.

As we arose from the table, I remembered a quote from a book I read. Jesus’ method doesn’t require doing something, but being someone. Now I want to live it out.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good reminder Bianca. :)

Anonymous said...

I love this post! I try to do this with as many people I come in contact with as possible!
Oh and I am in no way a Russian bride for sale! :)

christy said...

that's super sweet...i just need to ask God to help me overcome some shyness...

Melinda said...

How do you not speak Spanish fluently?? Every proper boriqua must speak enough espanol to get by. :)

Good post!

The Montgomerys said...

you have such an amazing heart. I loved this blog. It is so true...being a light with love...Christ love and reaching out to those the world doesn't notice...amazing! What an encouragment. Gracias <3

Cole said...

It's so incredibly true how we can get so worked up to do something for Jesus that in the process we forget to be a reflection of him to others. Thank you for the reminder to stop and listen to someone's story even if only through their eyes. :)

Anonymous said...

OMG!!!!!!!!!!
I just read your comment above the comment box..I was wondering where this Russian Bride thing was coming from....me is so lame :z)!

I am not, let me repeat, am not a Russian Bride for sale, I may be Puerto Rican and Ukrainian Mix (oyy..my temper...)but most definitely not for sale....

ap...

Celia Jimenez said...

Isn't it amazing, a few words can change the entire day for someone? The difference between being invisible and being seen for who you are. Kuddos to you for listening and heeding the Spirit. I've always found Walmart employees to be the most surprised when you treat them with respect and kindness!
I am not for sale. I am not Russian. I am not a bride! :-)

Anonymous said...

Great post BB! Great reminder!

-j

renay. said...

B, another beautifully written post and what a great reminder! By the way, I want to learn spanish too! I'm going to attempt this by going to Tuesday night with Carlos...pray for me! ;) Hehehe... have a wonderful day!

Anonymous said...

Inspiring...

Raquel Leal said...

Beautiful post! You are so inspriring lady!

Kelly Sauer said...

Oh this is wonderful - you are so right! And the being someone isn't just for people who don't get it... It's for home and family and kids and others in our lives that we forget to see while we're out looking for that huge mission we want to live. Thank you for sharing your story, for reminding me again about the importance of *being* where I am.

Miss Minderz said...

That is so true. I am a leader in the Young Adult ministry, Connections. That is what we are all about as well. It is good to preach and deliver a message but we believe the best way to reach someone for Christ is to be like him. To show all around us who HE is through us; through our actions and words and through the love he gave us to share.

What you did is amazing. More amazing then any sermon I have ever heard. You showed that woman who Jesus was through your actions.

We all need to be like that.

His Jewel said...

Hey B,
Thanks for the reminder. So true! And like Kelly said sometimes we are SOOOOO busy "looking for that huge mission we want to live" that we miss what the Lord puts right before our eyes. =( Thanks, I needed that!

Let me guess, was she from CUBA? It made me wonder when you said she spoke so fast you lost her! LOL

P.S. I was searching your blog yesterday looking for a book you spoke of that you couldn't put down and you read in one day (I know, you probably finish many books within a day, but you talked about it most recently in your blog (but I couldn't find it)because it was so good you couldn't put it down. It was a Christian book, not any fiction writings. Do you know which one I mean?

Bianca said...

Thanks, guys! She was the sweetest old woman from Panama and I fell in love with her :)

Unfortunately, I don't speak Spanish fluently. I can fake the funk for a while, but then I'm all over the place. It's hilarious. But I understand it very well! That's how we got along.

Jewelz, maybe it was Leading with Limp (Allender) or Prodigal God (Keller). Love you!

Diandra Ann said...

beautiful. your heart is beautiful. and I LOVE this. I hope I do this as well as you :)

xoxo

His Jewel said...

YES, I think it's "Leading with A Limp" thank you!!

Hank Aarron said...

The way you write this makes her out to be "Lesser" than you. Are you a self absorbed, arrogant person where you look down upon others? Are we all not created equal in God's eyes?

It almost sounds like you are boasting about lowering yourself to speak to this woman! Taking pity on her and going out of your way to speak to someone lesser than you. You, in your pretty clothes, overly made-up face, salon manicured nails and hair, went out of your way to speak to a lowly servant. I, I, I, I, I, I....you use the word "I" 10 times.

There is no "I" in the word God!

Did you ever consider that you are the ornate key hook in life and it is this woman who really knows what it is to serve God's word?

Oh that's right, there is money involved here. Ministers do the same thing. The "spiritual" leaders of our society treat others as though they have achieved a seat next to God and are better than the rest of "us". This is how you put yourself up on a pedestal so that others will follow, resulting in more money coming their and your direction.

Congratulations on thinking that saying hi to another human being is something special. We can only assume in you thinking that this is something special, you look at other people with judgment.

God does not judge or segregate people into categories. Churches do that! And unfortunately the church has taught you this!

While a simple post, it says volumes about you. You need to dig deep and find God because you have not found him yet. You have found the church.....NOT GOD!

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Obviously Hank has missed your heart in this post. :{ And based on the response from everybody else we hear clearly what you're saying, B. :) Loves!

christy said...

i agree with Michelle...God sees your heart and so do we:)

Raquel said...

Great post!!! My sister and I have a motto: Strangers are friends you haven't met. I love those God moments, divine appointments.

I was blessed to do ministry overseas a few years back. I didn't speak the native language. It forced me (in a good way) to show them Christ-like love without using words. It was the sweetest time.

And because I am Dominican and from NY, I cannot keep quiet (I suffer from foot in mouth disease) and with all do respect Bianca...
HANK- Bianca in no way labeled anyone as lesser than herself. By engaging in conversation she treated this lady as an equal to her, as a child of God worthy of respect and love. Just like Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.

By the way Hank, you used the word "You" a good 15 times, seems to me that Bianca is not only "important" to herself, but to you too.

AY! God Bless You All. lol

Andre said...

Hello Mr. Aaron, my name is Andre Garces and if you like this is how you can reach me if you need to DRESPLACE@gmail.com.

I read your response to Bianca’s post. I am not here to judge you on what you thought of her post because that is your personal opinion. However, I am here to correct you on how you went about it. Wither you would like to admit it or not you are the very same thing that you have accused Bianca of being. You too are looking down from whatever tower you reside to cast judgment on her. If you saw this flaw in our sister you should have been a man and done it more tactfully and went to her first and not blabbed your words all over the internet for everyone to read.

A “Christian” man, saved by God and evidenced by his desire to follow the Bible and reflect the principles of Holy Writ would have remembered many of the exhortations given by the apostle Paul on how we treat women. Paul says when rebuking someone (in this case a young woman) to treat her as a “young sister” and to do it “with all purity”. If you found some flaw in our sister you should have in love sought to correct her as a family member with respect and decency. This is to be done as a man before other believers in order to be an example of godliness (see I Timothy 4:12)

Finally, Jesus, God Himself said that we are to love one another (the church) “as HE loved us” (His words not mine) and this is not a suggestion but a command! Does Jesus go blasting all you flaws all over the internet for all to read. You better fall before Him for that mercy! He even goes a step further and says that others (church/world) will know we are following Him when we treat each other (church) with this same love. I question if your response was an act of love. But again, I can’t judge you just what you wrote.

You have a lot to learn about correcting someone! The Bible says it is to be done in love (James 5:20; I Peter 4:8), with humility (Jude 23) and directly to the person (Matthew 18:15-17). Oh and use the Bible when correcting someone. It shows that you’re not speaking from your own authority.

Andre

Lindsay said...

Great post and very challenging. I so need reminding that I share God by who I am not by what I do. But then I tend to freak out about who I am as it can't be covered up anymore by the things that I do! If that makes sense?! I love the fact that we're human 'beings' and not human 'doings'!

Bianca said...

Thanks for the comments and retorts, Raqi and Dre. I know not everyone will like me. I guess it comes with the territory :)

Greg (aka Hank Aaron, Sounds Good, God, Anonymous, Satan, and all other names you've posted under), you have my personal email address. If you have something to share with me, please don't post it here.
If you must post something here, please do not attack any blog readers. That's the rule. I'm trying to act like Jesus, but this is getting out of hand.

KS*Rebecca said...

-Not a russian bride-
As a hispanic woman, I understand where your coming from about showing this Panamanian woman some love. Ive felt like it many times but been to self conscience to do it for whatever reason. Thank you for sharing this, it will encourage me to get over myself and let the Light shine.

Also I agree w/ Andre about how we as Christians are to communicate disagreement. Thats all.

Much love

Anonymous said...

Hank.
I cannot even believe what I am reading. Are you seriously criticizing someone who reached out to another person, treating them as an EQUAL, with love...like Christ? Jesus Christ himself loved people who were considered the "least" of men...those that the world would otherwise ignore. He loved them. I do not see what Bianca wrote as thinking that she was so fabulous and high and might that she should do this lady a favor by talking to her...come on. If she was so into herself then she would be just like everyone else that day and would have simply gone about her business and would have treated her like an accessory. Jesus gives us that heart for people, people that the world forgets, we love them. That is what she was doing, not judging her. Would feeding the hungry, or giving clothes to the need by considered as stooping down so low and degrading people because we have so much and they have nothing?
Bianca, let your haters be your motivators...we love you!

Anonymous said...

Hank Aaron (current user name)

to use your words....Shame on you.

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