A Big taste of Humble Pie!

Today at my Optical job I got jolted. I think God wanted to show me that I need to have a much more merciful and compassionate heart. Sometimes I need to get a refresher course in humility. The very first patient was actually a homeless man. His odor evident within 25 feet. I found out later he hadn't showered in 3 weeks. He had just been released from jail after having been shot in a fight. He walked in without shoes, carrying them instead in his hands with another change of clothes, and clearly had been in a bad place in his life. I won't speak for anyone else at our store but it was repulsive. I was concerned that other patients once they came in would walk out. The guy had insurance so he was eligible to receive glasses. I asked him to put his shoes on, he went to the Dr.'s office to fill out paper work and the Dr.'s tech ran him through a series of pre-exam tests. Once he came from his exam and I saw that he had an RX, I went to him to wait on him. I had him sit down and saw that he had no co-pay so a free pair was coming his way. His skin was worn, chaffing and his smell only worse the closer I got to him. He had a terrible wheezing cough and to safeguard myself from potential sickness I asked him about it. He told me he had emphysema and some other type of cancer. In other words, he wasn't just sick, the man was dying. I found him a frame, filled his RX, gave him his receipts and since he had no phone in which to contact him, I told him to come back in a week.
I cleaned all the instruments I had to use to fill his Rx and washed my hands completely. Then I wept inside and asked God to wash my own heart clean. Jesus died for him as much as He did me! Later today, a proudly homosexual teen came in to order glasses. I don't know what his situation, but Jesus loves him as He does me and my homeless patient, and as much as the College Professor I waited on and as much as the elderly couple. I needed to swallow a big helping of humble pie today. I choked down my pride and self-righteousness, I am no better than any of these and as the Apostle Paul said of himself "the chief of all sinners". I just know this. No matter my financial situation, my educational achievements, the people I know, the places I've lived and traveled, the car I drive or the talents I possess, I need God's love and grace every second of every minute of every day! Thanks God for the humble pie, may I be different for this helping!