There are several versions of the following story...
The story is told that during World War II, a church building in Strasbourg, France was destroyed by bombings. After the bombing had ceased, the members of the church looked over the damage. In spite of the severe damage they were pleased that a statue of Christ with outstretched hands was still standing. It had been sculpted centuries before by a great artist.
The people discovered, however, that both hands of Christ had been sheered off by a falling beam. Later, a sculptor in the town offered to replace the broken hands as a gift to the church. The church leaders met to consider the offer and, after giving it considerable thought, decided not to accept. They felt the statue without hands would be a great message to everyone that the work of Jesus Christ is often done through His people. If there are sick, lonely, or hungry people around us, we are the hands the Savior will use to answer those needs.
Instead of repairing the hands, the church put up a plaque at the base that states, "I have no hands but yours."
This is a reference to a poem by St. Teresa of Avila that begins:
"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours."
In Luke 10, an expert in the law asks Jesus about salvation. I find it interesting that when asked about salvation, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. Remember, Jesus is talking to an expert in the law, a person well read of the scriptures. Yet, the Good Samaritan does not merely pray for the man, nor does he read him scriptures of comfort. What he does is actually help the man. Jesus says, go thou and do likewise.
The story is told that during World War II, a church building in Strasbourg, France was destroyed by bombings. After the bombing had ceased, the members of the church looked over the damage. In spite of the severe damage they were pleased that a statue of Christ with outstretched hands was still standing. It had been sculpted centuries before by a great artist.
The people discovered, however, that both hands of Christ had been sheered off by a falling beam. Later, a sculptor in the town offered to replace the broken hands as a gift to the church. The church leaders met to consider the offer and, after giving it considerable thought, decided not to accept. They felt the statue without hands would be a great message to everyone that the work of Jesus Christ is often done through His people. If there are sick, lonely, or hungry people around us, we are the hands the Savior will use to answer those needs.
Instead of repairing the hands, the church put up a plaque at the base that states, "I have no hands but yours."
This is a reference to a poem by St. Teresa of Avila that begins:
"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours."
In Luke 10, an expert in the law asks Jesus about salvation. I find it interesting that when asked about salvation, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. Remember, Jesus is talking to an expert in the law, a person well read of the scriptures. Yet, the Good Samaritan does not merely pray for the man, nor does he read him scriptures of comfort. What he does is actually help the man. Jesus says, go thou and do likewise.
Prayer is fine. Bible study is great. Sending a check is nice. But, if we are not being the hands of Jesus, we are missing the central part of the story.
Let's be his hands today.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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