1 John 3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
I recently read a story once reported in the New York Times about a man preparing to complete his college degree. He had one course to finish, business strategy. He hoped to ace the final exam and graduate with a perfect 4.0. GPA. He studied diligently, memorizing and calculating. He was prepared. Or so he thought. When the professor handed out the final, the students stared at a blank page. He said to them, “I’ve taught you everything I can teach you about business in the last 10 weeks, but the most important message, the most important question, is this: What’s the name of the lady who cleans this building?”
The man’s face went as blank as the paper in front of him. So much for his perfect grades. Although he had observed the woman on several occasions, he had never bothered to ask her name. He said it turned out to be one of the most important lessons of his business career: Never lose sight of people who do the real work. He vowed from that moment he would always take notice of the “Dotties” in his world.
That man’s name is Walt Bettinger, the CEO of Charles Schwab.
I think God puts a lot of “Dotties” in our lives. Overlooked people, unappreciated people. People hungry for a crust of kindness. He expects us to show them love. To assure them, even if in a small way, they have a place on the planet as much as we do. Maybe putting forth effort to call someone by name or smiling, or looking at a cashier in the eye, carries greater significance than we realize.
Christianity is all about God’s love. Jesus affirmed the greatest commands lie in loving God and our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39). His lavishing love for us empowers us to spread that love to others (1 John 3:1). And apparently, if we fail to show love to a brother in need, we should question whether we even know God at all (1 John 3:17).
So how about you? You have a great opportunity to pay attention to the “Dotties” in your life. Don’t hoard this magnificent, life-altering love of God.