A Conversation With Morgan Freeman

I had a moment of self discovery today. I can’t say I’m pleased with what I found. Because what I found is ugly. Wicked. Petty. And I have a suspicion that I’m not the only one with this troll living in the caverns of my heart.
Let me give you some background. I work at a music store where we rent instruments to children for school programs. Trumpets, clarinet, flutes, violins, marimbas, the whole assortment. Our company puts a huge emphasis on answering the phone with unbridled excitement and basically having a smile so big that it reaches through the phone and smacks them in the face.
It was nearing the end of a long and really busy day. I’ll admit, that morning, before I had burned out, I was answering the phone like a clown who just chugged 10 shots of espresso. Tons and energy. Tons of happy. Tons of customer service. By the end of the day I began to care less and less about each phone call. Instead of trying to help each person find what they needed and take care of them well I found myself just trying to end each conversation as fast as possible.
But then the phone rang. Again. I looked at the clock. 5:31. I was supposed to be off at 5:30. I just stared at it for a few moments and with a sigh, picked up. As soon as I began talking to this man I realized something.

This guy sounded exactly like Morgan Freeman.

I was actually pretty sure it was Mr. Freeman himself to be honest. Suddenly, I didn’t care that is was time for me to be leaving. I was asking questions, being helpful, offering to bend over backwards just to help this guy. At the end of the conversation we had decided that I was going to put an instrument on hold for him. Then came the moment of truth, I asked him for his name and number to put on the instrument on hold. When he gave me his name the smile on my face faded to a dissatisfied frown. He wasn’t Morgan Freeman. I finished taking down his information and walked into the backroom to put his trumpet on the hold shelf. As soon as I put the instrument down it hit me. I became keenly aware of what was going on in my heart. Then the question arose.

Why did I treat the supposed Morgan Freeman better than others?

I eased myself down onto a wooden stool because I felt the answer coming and I knew it would not be pleasant. I, for whatever reason, felt that Morgan Freeman deserved better treatment than others. I acted as though he somehow had more worth than all the others I had spoken with that day. I treated him like a king because I perceived him to be so meritorious that treating him with any less respect would be disrespectful to a man of his stature. That, is the mindset that motivated my actions. Whether or not I want to admit it, that is the truth.
I began realize how shallow and worldly that kind of thinking is. I was basing this man’s worth on the perception that he was a famous, rich, intelligent, and interesting individual. Someone, that I felt was worth my time. I was using the world’s standard for judging people to determine his caliber.

What a fool I have been.

How could I think I know so much about Jesus and totally miss this? When you read this gospels what is Jesus doing? Healing people, teaching them, counseling them,…LOVING them. Jesus DID NOT love anyone upon the basis of their merit. As Martin Smith put it, “King or cripple, they were the same to you…” He loved them because Jesus was God in the flesh, therefore He was LOVE in the flesh. It was his nature to love. It did not matter whether someone was a king, cripple, fishermen, tax collector, soldier, peasant, leper, prostitute, rich ruler, or fool, Jesus loved them all. There is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:11) So how can I, a professing Christian treat anyone with less respect? If Jesus is my example I have much to learn. Fortunately I’ve discovered the standard for which to determine someone’s worth. I must value people as God himself values them. I must imitate Christ.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humiltiy of mind regard one another as more important that yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have the attitude in youselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Phillipians 2:3-8

Of all things that Jesus did, one thing I have so much trouble wrapping my mind around this. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. God in the flesh, got on his hands and knees and washed the dirt and camel feces off of the feet of a fisherman. When I think of Peter, I think of Gomer Pile from the Andy Griffith show, or Patrick the starfish from spongebob squarepants. I mean, of all the disciples, not only was he of low stature but definitely not the brains of the bunch. Yet, God, knelt down in the dust that he created and with the hands that formed the universe, washed Peter’s feet. Not only that but Jesus washed Judas’ feet too. Though Jesus knew what was in the depths of his heart and how he would betray him, he still humbled himself.
What excuse could I possibly produce to explain to God why I shouldn’t do the same? How can I treat anyone as if they are worth any less another. Think of someone that really gets under your skin, someone that you have much difficulty loving. Jesus allowed himself to be beaten, mocked, crucified, mocked more, and crushed by the wrath of God for that person just as much as he did for you and me. If Jesus considers them to be worth his life, how can we look down upon anyone? We have no justification for such things.

So please allow me to challenge you as well, to consider the worth of a person. If you need a point of reference, consider the cross, where God made sentiment for man.