Outside the Doors

Let me introduce you to my friend. Maria is a witty, engaging, busy, college student who’s a lot of fun to be with. She’s a cutie, with beautiful, curly brunette hair and brown eyes that twinkle mischievously. Mature for her age, she is one of the most well-adjusted people I know. Maria also has no legs and only one complete arm.

Maria visits our youth group occasionally. I’ve never heard her complain about her situation, even though the inconveniences she faces on a regular basis would be frustrating, if not humiliating. Many places do not accommodate her wheelchair, so it’s not uncommon to see Maria riding “piggy-back” on someone’s shoulders. (Neither Maria nor the carriers seem to mind, but I wonder if that will change as she ages.)

Not that she is helpless. Maria can scoot from the floor onto a chair in the blink of an eye and wonder why it took you so long to sit your own body down.

Although she’s a good listener, Maria is also a great storyteller. One story makes me cringe, even though she laughs as she tells it. When they were children, Maria’s older brother, Alex, once snuck her into his backpack, carried her up a ladder into their tree house, and left her there for a few hours. The weather was chilly so she got pretty cold before he came back to rescue her. Of course, when their mother found out, Alex was in big trouble.

Have you thought about what it would be like to be so dependent on others? To arrive at church in your wheelchair and be conspicuously stuck out in the aisle where people trip over your chair? To have people avoid eye contact with you because they don’t know what to think of you?

When you see someone with physical challenges, how do you react? Of course you don’t stare. That would be rude. But do you pretend you don’t even see them? What about smiling at them or giving them a welcoming hug or a pat on the shoulder? Something that makes them know they are valued.
I know of one lady who stopped attending her church because of her child’s cerebral palsy. Her daughter was becoming too “vocal,” causing a distraction. Yet no one offered special classes or assistance. Both mom and daughter were left without any fellowship. Thankfully, they found a more accommodating church.

Though it seems we are beginning to accept the fact that “red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight,” we still have a ways to go with those who are physically challenged. Whether it’s the lack of physical accessibility or the lack of social acceptance in our churches, many of them do not have access to the gospel at all. Think about it. How many physically challenged people do you see in your church? How many are left stranded outside its doors?

Andrea Johnson,
Managing Editor,
Message of the Open Bible