The Christian life lived out

I finally got on the plane leaving Rome to go to Kiev....it had taken a while and I was tired. Luckily I got a seat near the front of the plane and in the three-seat row there were only two of us, me by the window and a nice looking middle aged woman on the isle with a seat between us. This would be a nice relaxing flight, but you know me by now...I had to ask, "So, where are you from and where are you going?" Now, remember, I'm in Europe. Most of the people around me do not speak English, and yet somehow I knew....She responded, "I'm from El Paso, Texas and I'm headed to an orphanage south of Kiev to get my daughter." Then she explained that she and her husband had been working for a long time to adopt a little girl from the Ukraine and all of the work and expense was finally over....she was going to the orphanage to get her daughter. Her husband had to fly back home, but she had stayed for the required month, and now was the day. In a few hours she would be a mom to a little girl. She told me they had three boys back home, and this little girl was an answer to their prayers. My ears perked up. Yes, she said, she is a Christian. This, for them, was the right thing to do, and so they have spent thousands of dollars and months of time to adopt this little 4 year old girl. I gave her my card, and asked that she send pictures when they got her. In response she pulled out her computer and said, "do you want to see pictures now?" What could I say? "Of course!" I responded, and looked at the hundreds of photos she had already taken.
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Here are my thoughts as I reflect on this short encounter- This is normal for a Christian! This caring for others, helping those in crisis, reaching out to those who need....that's how we are designed...designed to imitate exactly what Christ did....living out the Christian life in the real world. It's a family spending thousands of dollars to adopt an orphan, or another person volunteering in a soup kitchen, or helping someone in need, visiting a nursing home, giving to a special need because of a storm, loving others with the very love of Christ. The Christian life lived out looks like this woman on a plane half way around the world going to adopt an orphan and raise her as her own. It's the very life of Christ lived out in the real world, and it's what makes the Christian life so real....giving of ourselves to meet the needs of others. It's the life of God lived out through our lives. It's found on an airplane heading from Rome to Kiev. It's all around you if you will take a moment to notice.
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"And this is my command, that you love one another as I have loved you." -Jesus