The Face of Christ

My friend, Mike Charko, and I wrote a song about seeing Jesus on the train. It is a poetic, imaginative piece that suggests that we should seek to love others around us as Jesus would love them. Mike found an interesting blog about someone else who imagined an encounter with “Jesus” on a train. Check out the blog by John Jensen about an experience he had about seven years ago. It made me think of the lyrics to a song written by Chris Rice. Here are the lyrics to “The Face of Christ.”

He shares a room outside with a dozen other guys
And the only roof He knows is that sometimes starry sky
A tattered sleeping bag on a concrete slab is His bed
And it’s too cold to talk tonight, so I just sit with Him instead and think

How did I find myself in a better place
I can’t look down on the frown on the other guy’s face
Cause when I stoop down low, look Him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing with the face of Christ

After sixteen years in a cold, gray prison yard
Somehow His heart is soft, but keeping simple faith is hard
He lays His Bible open on the table next to me
And as I hear His humble prayer, I feel His longing to be free someday

How did I find myself in a better place
I can’t look down on the frown on the other guys face
Cause when I stoop down low, look Him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing with the face of Christ

See you had no choice which day you would be born
Or the color of your skin, or what planet you’d be on
Would your mind be strong, would your eyes be blue or brown
Whether daddy would be rich, or if momma stuck around at all

So if you find yourself in a better place
You can’t look down on the frown on the other guy’s face
You gotta stoop down low, look Him square in the eye
And get a funny feeling, you just might be dealing

How did I find myself in a better place
I can’t look down on the frown on the other guy’s face
Cause when I stoop down low, look Him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing with the face of Christ

With the face of Christ
With the face of Christ, yeah

With the face of Christ, yeah
With the face of Christ
(written by Chris Rice © 2000 Clumsy Fly Music admin. by Word MusicInc/ASCAP)