It's All About The Eyes

This story comes from Henri Nouwen.

One day a young fugitive, trying to hide himself from the enemy, entered a small village. Th people were kind to him and offered him a place to stay. But when the soldiers who sought the fugitive asked where he was hiding, everyone became very fearful. The soldiers threatened to burn the village and kill every man in it unless the young man was handed over to them before dawn. The people went to the minister and asked him what to do. The minister, torn between handing the boy over to the enemy or having his people killed, withdrew to his room and read his Bible, hoping to find an answer before dawn. After many hours, in the early morning his eyes fell on these words: "It is better that one man dies that the whole people be lost."
Then the minister closed the Bible, called the soldiers and told them where the boy was hidden. And after the soldiers led the fugitive away to be killed, there was a feast in the village because the minister had saved the lives of the people. But the minister did not celebrate. Overcome with a deep sadness, he remained in his room. That night, an angel came to him, and asked, "What have you done?" The minister said, "I handed over the fugitive to the enemy." Then the angel said, "But don't you know that you have handed over the Messiah?' "How could I know?" the minister replied anxiously. Then the angel said: "If, instead of reading your Bible, you had visited this young man just once and looked into his eyes, you would have known."

Powerful stuff. Who have I handed over to the enemy, thinking that I was doing what was best, with the support of Scripture? Maybe I should spend more time looking into the eyes of others - I may find that God resides in them. I may find that I have more in common with them that I would be comfortable with. Risk is good. Life is precious.

WH