A VEHICLE OF COMPASSION -- Part II

Ephesians 4:2 is one of my favorite Bible verses.  As I revisited this verse in my morning meditation on Saturday, April 23, 2011, I was reminded of my prayer journal entry:

Friday, September 5, 2008

Recalling this morning's prayer, Patricia (my prayer partner) asked that my face and attitude be pleasant (God-like) when I prepare to get on MARTA.  She knows how much I despise public transportation--just thinking about the sights, sounds, and smells on MARTA makes me cringe!  99.9% of the time I adhere to this motto: Malkia does not do public transportation!  Patricia mentioned that my being on MARTA would help me reflect on how God has blessed me.  She also recommended that I purchase a round-trip Breeze Card with a five-dollar bill because using a higher denomination would yield change in coins.

5:54pm

After carefully reading instructions and pressing all the necessary buttons, I retrieve my round-trip MARTA Breeze Card and receipt.  I walk to the access gate and I'm trying to figure out how to gain entry.

Seeing my struggle, the MARTA attendant said "Wave it across the blue circle."

I looked back at him and said "Thank you."

I get down to the platform and it feels like a sauna!  Here I stand in my designer pantsuit and accessories, on the verge of a hot flash.  I immediately open my duffle bag, retrieve my flight itinerary and fashion it into a fan.  Contemporaneously, to my left, I hear a woman say to someone "It's hot down here!"  I turned to look and the 50-something (maybe 40-something) lady was wearing a mustard-colored sleeveless top with no bra, and had a significant amount of "afro puff" underarm hair on display for the whole world to see.

The train doors open and I enter.  Of course the train is crowded--it's Friday rush hour.  I refuse to stand on this ride from Peachtree Center to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and the only open seat I see is to my right.  I get to the seat and find it's not empty--there's folded toilet tissue occupying half of the seat.

Silently I pleaded: O, dear God, please don't let there be poo in this tissue!

I asked the man in the window seat if I could sit down and he gathered up his tissue and welcomed me to sit.

My uneasiness was noticeable to my seatmate.  He said, "I'm sorry if I scared you...if somebody tries to bother you, I'll shoot 'em and I don't even have a gun."  We both snickered and my discomfort level decreased a bit.

Jesus be a fence!  This man reeked of liquor and I just knew his scent would permeate my designer apparel.  How many more stops before we reach the airport?!

SELF-CHECK: Wait a minute Kia!  Today you asked God to bless those who are poor, hungry, homeless, and don't have any relationship with God or have turned their backs on God.  You asked to be used to display God's compassion.  You've been studying the name of El Shadday (God Almighty) all week long.  The Almighty Promise-Keeping God you serve is a protector, restorer, allows you to bask in favor all of the time, and entrusts you to do His work here on earth!

I asked God to open my spirit--help me to be completely humble and gentle, patient and bear with this stranger in love.  (Ephesians 4:2, NIV).  It's likely that I'll remain in this seat the entire ride and I cannot ignore God's creation.  I did ask to be an example of compassion, so this MARTA experience must be the opportunity to be used by God.  Plus, I'm wearing a highly visible amethyst and silver cross on my chest, if I don't act like a Christian all the other MARTA riders might consider me a hypocrite.

I take a good look at my seatmate.  He's got slick grey hair under his ball cap, blue eyes, a grey mustache and beard, rotten (and missing) teeth, calloused hands and dirty fingernails.  And right under his nose, a big glob of yellow mucus is stuck in his mustache.

This stranger strikes up a conversation with me.  He asks if I'm from Georgia and I tell him I'm from St. Louis, Missouri.

"I don't mean to be nosy, but may I ask your name?" he says.

"My name is Kia."

We shake hands.

I sat next to Edmund the entire MARTA ride.  He told me:

• he was crazy;
• he was born in Georgia;
• he stopped smoking dope, but he smokes cigarettes; and
• he drinks a little bit.

I immediately discerned that Edmund's elevator didn't reach penthouse level when I sat down next to him.  However, when his conversation was sound, he said "God bless you Kia!"  If I recall correctly, Edmund asked God to bless me at least four times.  In turn, I told Edmund "God bless you" four times.

Edmund complimented my eyes too: "You have beautiful eyes; they brighten me up!"

Throughout this MARTA journey there were opportunities for me to change seats, but I couldn't allow myself to leave Edmund and cut our conversation abruptly.  When Edmund's conversation was sane, I discerned that he was genuinely appreciative of my company.

I also had an opportunity to observe the other MARTA riders.  Their expressions were transparent:

• Ugh, she shook his hand; she'd better sanitize!
• Why is she entertaining his conversation?
• Why is she still sitting beside him, when there are open seats adjacent to her?
• Is she crazy?

In my humanness, I pondered similar thoughts.  Yet, in my spirit, I was certain that I was being used as God's vessel for compassion.  All those who witnessed my interaction with Edmund witnessed God's glory.

One of Us, a song written by Eric Bazilian, reads:

What if God was one of us?

Just a slob like some of us.

Just a stranger on the bus,

Trying to make his way home.

If God had a face,

What would it look like?

What if I never took the time to look at Edmund's face?  What if I never took the time to acknowledge Edmund's humanity?

It's likely that I would have missed an encounter with God.  I would have missed an opportunity to express gentleness, patience and love.  El Shadday revealed to me that MARTA was the perfect vehicle to exhibit compassion.