The Kid On The Airport Tram

This one thing remains…   Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me   Because on and on and on and on it goes    It overwhelms and satisfies my soul   -One Thing Remains, Jesus Culture  

As I was riding on the tram this morning at the airport, a little kid got on board. He was in a wheelchair being pushed by one of the airport helpers and his mom was right beside him.

He was probably only in the 4th or 5th grade and when I saw him I immediately felt compassion for him. Silently I stood there and prayed for him. For whatever struggle he’s facing today and the struggles that he’ll face in his lifetime.

As I prayed I began thinking of my own problems. I got up at 3am this morning and I have done nothing but whine about that all week long. I got to the airport and the security line was long. What will happen if I miss my flight. How am I gonna deal with the lack of sleep. Did I leave my laptop charger at home? WHINE WHINE WHINE WHINE WHINE.

I don’t know what their daily problems are. But odds are I am not worthy to tie their sandals for the troubles they face all day long. 

I love the “Your love never fails” song because it rings true to me. At least most of the time. But there are hard times when I’m not sure God’s love never fails. And I wonder how often they wonder about God’s love. Do those words mean anything, are they just empty platitudes?

Then I kind of got mad. God, why would you allow THIS, whatever ‘this’ ultimately is, to happen to this family? He’s just a little kid. Can’t you do anything?

And that’s when God got mad at me. How dare you question what I can do, you sniveling little ant!?! Ok, that’s not how He put it but it’s what I would have said if I were in His position. :)

God reminded me that He’s in control. God reminded me of the man born blind in John 9. God reminded me that it’s in OUR weakness … This kid’s and mine alike… That HIS power is made perfect. That our God is SO big, SO powerful, SO strong, that He can take something bad and make something good come out of it.

So as I got off the tram, I looked at this anonymous kid I’d probably never see again this side of eternity, not only did I feel compassion towards him, I felt something better. Hope. Hope he can overcome his struggles, for sure. Hope that He will find peace and strength daily in a really big God that loves him in a really big way. And hope that he will discover just how much potential God has hidden away in him ready to be used in a big way.

So I walked away, as often happens, humbled. Humbled that I came to tell God off, but He told me better. Humbled that God gave me an itty bitty teeny weeny peak in what He has planned. Humbled that God lets me be a part of any of this at all.