The characters in these daily postings are fictional. I enjoy understanding the makeup of various characters – how they dress – how they talk – what they think and how they relate to others. The stories are taken from actual events which occurred during Jesus’ ministry from the point of view of those who were witness to them. The time was right for God to send His Son into the world. It was all part of His amazing plan for our salvation. I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me.
JEREMIAH – A HOMELESS CHILD
I was just a young lad when I first met Jesus. In all the confusion of the time, I was at a crossroads. I wasn’t sure which way my life would go. My mother had died shortly after I was born. My father began drinking excessively after that, so most of the time he wasn’t really concerned about what happened to me. Being a child in those days, was like being just another helper on the farm. An extra hand to store the grain or to feed the cattle. I felt alone most of the time. I tried to join in the games that other children played, but they laughed and put me down. I felt I didn’t really fit in anywhere. I realized the only solution to all my insecurity was to run away from it.
I made a habit of running away. It was the only way I could feel alive. I started to engage in all kinds of bad behavior. I’d often resort to stealing a loaf of bread from one of the street merchants. I made what little money I could muster, by cleaning the freshly caught fish for the fishermen who I ran into. They would fish for hours and spend little time at home. Not a very good life for a family man. The smell of dead fish became my way of life. I became a loner. I slept under the stars and lived off whatever I could scrounge from the local vineyard and city markets.
Troubles began to mount when I made some bad choices and started traveling with a group of lost souls, just like me. We became a gang of ruffians and thieves. At last, I felt I belonged to something. I was not happy though. I often wondered about my father. I had dreams of what my mother must’ve looked like and how different my life would be if only she hadn’t died. I was alive, yet dead inside. I engaged in a life of fast living and a slow, pointless death.
Jesus was like no one I’d ever met. He welcomed everyone. When He spoke to the crowds His voice carried across the hillsides. Many were following Him by the time I first saw Him. His group of helpers seemed annoyed by the fact that all ages were vying for His attention. They shooed the little ones away. They tried to control the crowds of sick and elderly people who had come for healing. There were so many. Even though His band of followers became overwhelmed, I felt Jesus had time for each individual. He gathered the children close to Him. He hugged them and made them feel safe. He looked me in the eye, and I knew that there was something there I had never experienced. It was as if He was looking right into my mind and heart. He spoke about loving one another and especially those who hated us. He reminded us to honor our parents. I began to wonder about my own father. I had been gone for so long, I didn’t remember what he looked like anymore. Would he recognize me?
The disciples scolded the children and tried to disperse them, but Jesus chastised them. He said, ““Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” He reminded them that a childlike faith was all that was necessary to obtain God’s mercy and grace.
The pieces started to fall into place. I ran back to where my father lived. He was near death. I told him all about the Messiah I’d met. Though his eyes were clouded, he began to recall my face. He hugged me tightly as tears rolled down his cheeks. I held him too and felt the bones of his aging body in my arms. It was then that I knew this was where I belonged.
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