Christie sat quietly in the front pew, her thoughts drifting and recoiling as she tried to concentrate on her father’s sermon.

"Everybody loves a winner," Pastor Thomas declared, "But Jesus loved losers." While we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly",

The words fastened themselves upon Christie’s mind and the bitterness of conviction gripped her thoughts, forcing her to live again the guilt of Friday’s conversation. It wasn’t enough to have entertained the thoughts, she had given them voice.

As the old yellow school bus lumbered down the highway, Christie and her best friends Rebekah and Heather had discussed the events of’ the day. Eventually the conversation led to discussing classmates. "Did you see Tony hovering over Angela today’?" asked Christie, "I can’t understand what he sees in her."

"Do I hear a little jealousy?" asked Rebekah.

"I’m not jealous. I just don’t think she’s right for Tony.

"Sounds like jealousy to me." said Heather.

‘Well, he is kinda cute, and I hate to see him involved with a DT."

"DT?" questioned Rebekah.

"You know," Heather said with a giggle, "Domestic turkey, a bird too dumb to fly."

"That’s rude," said Rebekah, "She can’t help it if she can’t walk."

"That’s not the point," said Christie. There was a definite tone of’ defensiveness in her voice. "Maybe DT is a little rude, but Tony’s a nice guy and I just hate to see him paired up with someone so -- you know."

"I think the word is frumpy," quipped Heather, "Or is dowdy a better word?"

"I think the word is crippled," said Rebekah. The sharpness of her tone was a clear indication that the meanness of the conversation was starting to bother her. "and if that’s what makes her unacceptable, you’ve got bigger problems than she does."

"Don’t get so self righteous," snapped Heather, "I don’t see you rushing to become her best friend! The point is," she said with a giggle, "Christie Thomas is jealous of a cripple."

"The proof of our Christianity," Pastor Thomas continued, "Is our willingness to love the unlovable. We must not forget the words of Jesus in Matthew 25, ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ If you can’t love the unlovable, how will you introduce them to Christ and if you won’t introduce them to Christ, of what value are you as a Christian?"

After the service ended, Christie continued to think about her father’s words and that evening she knelt beside him and asked for God’s forgiveness. She determined in her heart, to befriend Angela and try to introduce her to Christ. Together, Christie and her father prayed that God would fill her will a genuine love for Angela.

Unfortunately, commitments are often easier to make than to keep. Christie wasn't sure she really wanted to befriend Angela. She knew how her friends, especially Heather, felt about Angela and as much as she felt convicted to develop this new relationship, she didn’t want to jeopardize the friendship she had with Heather. So, the next evening it was with a degree ofuncertainity that she nervously knocked on the door of Angela’s home. Angela answered the door. "Hi, Angela. I was wondering if you could tell me what pages we were supposed to read for English?"

"Sure, come on in." She rolled her wheelchair backwards so the door would open wider. If Angela knew of Christie’s previous comments there was nothing in her manner to indicate any animosity. "It’s good to see you. Isn’t your father the pastor of the Baptist church?" she asked as she rolled toward the dining room table where her books were stacked.

"Yes," Christie answered with surprise, "How did you know that?’

"I’m just a secret admirer," she answered, thumbing through her notebook.

Christie stood just inside the door and looked around the room. It was sparsely furnished with two easy chairs, a television in the corner and a spinet piano without a stool. The dining room was merely an extension of the living room. The kitchen, barely visible from the door, was beyond the dining room at a right angle to it. The dining room contained only a small oak table and three chairs. The most noticeable feature of the house was its empty floor space. Nonetheless, it was very clean and homey. "Come on into the dining room and visit for a while." Angela invited, "I know we haven’t talked much at school but I really am an admirer. There are so few Christians at school, I’ve truly grown to appreciate your positive witness."

"You’re a Christian’?" Christie said, unable to conceal her surprise.

Angela smiled broadly, "I must not be a very good one," she answered, "by the surprise I detect in your voice, I guess I’ll have to work a little harder at it." 

Christie sat down at the table facing Angela’s mother who was standing at the sink washing dishes.

"Mom, this is Christie from my English class. Christie is one of the best Christians at our school. Her father is Pastor Thomas of the Baptist church."

"Hi, Christie, I've met your mom from the Christian Women’s Fellowship."

Christie was so astonished by this turn of events, she hardly knew what to say. Mostly she just listened as Angela and her mom shared how God was blessing their lives. It was unbelievable, Angela was already a Christian. She actively attended church and even taught a Sunday School class for eight year old girls. Most amazingly, Christie realized she genuinely liked Angela. She was friendly, extremely easy to talk to, and much smarter than Christie had guessed. After visiting for over an hour Christie ashamedly admitted, "I can’t believe I didn’t know you were a Christian!"

"1 suppose its just because we’re involved in completely different activities and we’ve never had much of an opportunity to talk. I know about you because you’re so popular. Everyone knows that you’re a Christian."

Christie went home with a new appreciation of’ Angela. She’d been so at ease in Angela’s home she almost forgot that Angela was confined to a wheelchair. She could understand what Tony saw in Angela. She wasn’t a DT, she was a peacock with incredible beauty hidden beneath her wings. It no longer mattered what her friends might think, this was a friendship destined to develop and grow, because Christie and Angela were birds of a feather.

End