July 27, 2014
-
Humans of New York
If you've never gotten a chance to view the photoblog "Humans of New York", it might be worth your time sometime. https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork
Also, here's a video by the author, Brandon, explaining his method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPxzlGPrM3A
It prompted me tonight to consider several thoughts. First, what would I say if he photographed me on the street? If he just asked me for a quote, I'd probably give a quote from Jesus, like Jesus' statement "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
Or, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Or (OT quote) "delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
Such quotes, from the Bible, are the pithiest, most powerful, most accurate, etc, quotes I can think of... far better than anything coming from me directly.
If he'd asked me to share my 'proudest moment', I'd have to say I don't really have one. I've had some moments when I did the right thing under pressure, but I know it was God helping me at that moment - I can't take credit. If he asked me to share my 'most embarrassing moment', I'd have such a huge collection of them, I wouldn't know where to start. I am the most awkward and embarrassing person I know. I have to daily force myself to try to forget all my awkward moments that happen every few days or even more frequently... Likewise if he asked me to share moments I was most ashamed of. I am the worst person I know. I am so thankful to Jesus for forgiving me and taking my punishment that I deserved.
If, as Brandon described on his methods video, he asked me to share some things I've learned in the past, I'd probably echo something that was once spoken at a high school graduation I attended. The speaker said to the new graduates, "Right now everyone is showering you with compliments and telling you how amazing and talented you are. The first step in growing up and becoming a mature adult is to learn to not believe them." Or "to learn to tune them out" or something like that. In hindsight, having lived a few decades, that speaker was absolutely right. Advice: don't think you're so great. As the Bible says, "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. (And He will lift you up.)" (As the Bible says, "be swift to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.")
Likewise in the story Jesus told - "... the tax collector was unwilling to lift his eyes to heaven, but prayed 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you the truth, this man went back to his house justified, and not the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Another thought - my huge desire, for Brandon and all his millions of readers, is that they would come to know TRUE LIFE in Jesus. I don't know what his personal beliefs are, but I read what the stated beliefs of many of his photo subjects are, and they don't seem to know Jesus. If I shared about Jesus with Brandon, maybe he would walk away, post it to his blog, think, 'hmm, interesting philosophy', and move on to the next person and forget all about it... without realizing that Jesus is the central Person of the universe, and that friendship with Him is by far the most important friendship worth having... etc. Not just 'friendship', but salvation - cleansing - forgiveness - righteousness - being 'born again' and 'adopted' and brought into intimate relationship with the Creator. God, I pray that you would miraculously save Brandon, and many of his readers and photo subjects!! Likewise so many of my unsaved friends... God, please have mercy on them, and open their eyes to salvation!
A final thought that came to mind - there will come a day when EVERY story will be revealed... every person in New York, and every person around the world, who has ever lived. We will all watch and listen, and finally understand everything about everyone, including all that person's secret and public words, thoughts, actions, history, longings, heroic and detestable deeds, etc. As Jesus said, "nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light." (Luke 8:17)
We are in a tapestry that is still being woven. Soon our part will be finished. But also, soon, we will see the whole thing, and how it comes together.
Recent Comments