"It Could Be You"

 

“It Could Be You”

 

From 1956 through 1961 NBC aired an early daily version of today’s reality shows called “It Could Be You”. Hosted by Bill Leyden, the program (with the apt subtitle “America’s Show of Surprises”) had previously found interesting and/or humorous tidbits from the lives of people in the audience. One feature was a reunion of one of those present in the studio with a relative or friend they hadn’t seen in several years. (Karen and I saw a YouTube of an episode in which a World War II pilot was reunited with his flight crew.) This often brought tears after the laughter surrounding incidents showing the lighter side of life.

I hadn’t thought about this TV series in many years until I heard about a discussion a couple had while stopped at a traffic light. The husband saw a panhandler working his way along the line of waiting vehicles and said, “He needs to get a job!” to which his wife replied, “That could be you!” (You may remember a previous posting in which I told of a church leader years ago who observed, “Our wives tell us things we don’t want to hear and the maddening thing is they’re usually right!”) He sheepishly admitted his judgmental spirit and gave the man a little money.

That homeless man could be any one of us. I sometimes forget that “…nothing good lies in me, that is, in my sinful nature.” (Romans 7:18) as well as “…apart from (Jesus I) can do nothing.” (John 15:5) and “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) and need to remember that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5) and “…By the grace of God I am what I am….” (1 Corinthians 15:10, emphasis added).

As I write this in mid-November the weather is getting cooler (even here in Florida) and Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming. So there are many opportunities to show God’s love to those much less blessed than I am in health and this world’s goods. So when we (I) see a needy person we (I) ought to see them through God’s eyes, realize it could be you (me) and ask Him what to do in His name.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan