The Hug

            Greg Krebs and his wife gave life to a baby named Chris. Chris was born with cerebral palsy. He was also severely retarded. Yet, Chris affected the lives of his parents in profound and loving ways.

            One occurred when Chris was seven. Greg’s wife worked at a hospital, and one afternoon he and Chris went to pick her up. She was running late, so they waited for her in a waiting room.

            In the waiting room was a man poorly dressed. He smelled bad too. 

            Greg walked over to the nurse’s station to inquire as to when his wife would be getting off work. As he walked back to his seat, he discovered Chris sitting by the man who reeked. The poor gentleman was sobbing.

            Greg panicked. He searched his mind trying to imagine what Chris had done to so offend the man. Greg apologized, “‘I'm sorry if my son has offended you.”

            “The man replied, ‘Offended me? Offended me? Your son is the only person who has hugged me in the last 20 years!’”

            “I realized at that moment Chris had a more Christlike love for this man that I did,” reflected Greg.

            Thank you, God, for offering the world blessings like Chris, who show us what it means to love people in an unconditional way—just like Jesus.

Story Source: When God Doesn't Make Sense by James Dobson