Do You Even Care What Happened to Me?

While at the Easterday Rec Center this afternoon to get information about summer camps for Brandy, a man in a wheel chair approached me as I waited to talk to the director. He said hello as he wheeled past me . . . then stopped and asked, “What is your name?” I told him my first name and asked him his. “Tim,” as he reached out his hand to me for a handshake.

Tim appeared to be a man around 50 years old. His speech and his mouth drooping on one side made me wonder if he had had a stroke.

The next 2 questions he asked me have marked my soul and my heart forever!!!

Tim: “Do you want to know what happened to me?”

Me: "Yes"

Tim: Looking me square in the eyes . . . “Do you even really care what happened to me?”

Me: Locking my eyes on his, “Yes, I care. What happened to you?”

Tim: “When I was 33 years old, I had brain surgery. During the surgery, the doctor dropped the scalpel, which cut my carotid artery. I nearly died.”

He is now 47.

With no further conversation, he wheeled on.

A few minutes later, I heard him call my name and say something. But because of the noisy group at a table to the side of us, I had to ask him to repeat his question.

Tim: “Can you understand me when I talk.”

Me: “Yes, I can; but the noise from this group of people makes it hard for me to hear.”

Tim: “It’s important to me that people can understand me when I talk. Have a nice day.”

End of conversation.

He turned and wheeled away.

Inside myself, I wept.


"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?'

Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth:

Whenever you did one of these things
to someone overlooked or ignored,
that was me — you did it to me.'

Matthew 25:31-40
(Message Bible, emphasis added)

One does not have to be disabled to be overlooked or ignored!