What's a Life Worth?

He was having trouble putting it all back together....

The old man on the train sat fumbling with the pieces of the cell phone, which looked old and quite used. He himself was unshaven, with dirty fingernails, mumbling with a slur. Those around him just watched as he tried unsuccessfully to fit the battery into its slot and to make it all click into place.

I watched as the other train passengers watched him struggle.

There seems to be an unspoken rule in the city: "Don't get involved." Why bother? You don't know that person and, for sure, you won't see him again.

"You have to make sure the microchip is in place first..." I blurted out. I was feeling a little sheepish in front of the the others, knowing that I'd just broken "train norm #1: don't talk to anyone."

The man looked up from his project and, with both hands outstreched like those of a little child, he offered all the pieces to me. Not that I know much about technology either....As I tried to fit the pieces together, I became more self-conscious of my own technological challenges because the others were now watching me too! I got the chip in and heard the "click" of success, but the screen still wouldn't light up. "I don't know much either. One of these guys might be able to help more than me."

I handed the pieces back to him and since I'd broken the ice, the old man seemed bolder to recruit the younger man sitting in front of him.

"I just found it on the ground," the man explained while the teenager quickly locked everything into place. "...not that I have anyone to call or that anyone would call me...."

His eyes were bad because he had to ask 4 or 5 times where the on/off switch was. Even after several times of showing him, he seemed to be a lost cause, technologically-speaking.

I continued to pay attention to him as he rambled on about his 2 brothers and his wife that lived very far away until we arrived at our stop. "We have to go now," I announced as we rose to our feet. "Adios, guapa," he called back.

Who was this man? Is he really all alone in the world? Is he really as worthless as he described himself to be? Was this the only attention he'd received today? this week?

Oh Lord, give me Your eyes to see people as you do. Make me sensitive to the needs of others and tough toward the temptation of pleasing man. Give me a heart of compassion and feet that are fitted with the readiness and humility that come from the gospel of peace.

" 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

The King will reply,

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me....' " --Jesus, Matthew 25:37-39