Wayfaring Stranger

Have you noticed how a lot of us have become?

We look at others and judge the type person they are by their material things like clothes, cars, their job and their house.

We judge them without knowing what their circumstances are.

I'm as guilty as the next, but I don't know when we started that trend.

Maybe my memory has faded and it has always been that way and during my childhood I just had a sheltered life.

My family was poor and where I was raised we had a homeless camp right next door in a stand of trees. In those days the homeless were mostly called hobos who rode the rails.

It didn't matter we were poor, when the knock came on the door from a hobo traveling through my mother always found a little something for them to eat.

I came across the following story that brought back the memories of my mom and how she never judged a hobo, she just always fed them.

So today I am sharing that story.


It was a cold winter's day that Sunday. The church yard was filling up despite last night's snowfall.

Fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked up to the church.

A man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down as if he were asleep. He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds.

A hat topped his head. It was pulled down so no one could see his face.

He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet with holes all over them. His toes stuck out.

The man appeared homeless. He seemed to be asleep. People walked on by and through the doors of the church.

During the few minutes of fellowship with everyone, someone brought up the man lying outside.

People snickered and gossiped. No one bothered to ask him to come in.

A few minutes late, the service began. The congregation waited for the preacher to take his place and give his sermon.

Suddenly the church doors opened. In came the homeless man. He walked down the isle with his head down.

People gasped and whispered and made faces. He made his way down the isle and up to the pulpit. He took off the hat and coat and then the old shoes.

There stood the preacher. He was the homeless man. The preacher took his bible and laid it on the stand.

"Folks I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today," said the preacher.


Just remember this:

We are all but a poor wayfaring stranger
Travelling through this world of woe
But there's no sickness, toil or danger
In that bright land to which we go.

That's it for today and just a reminder tomorrow is another 7A.M to midnight shift so there will be no post on Tuesday.