What do you see when you look at this image?

A wet day in a city centre.  Something has been left on a bench.  An onlooker, arms folded - perhaps in disgust - stands nearby...

In monochrome, a person lies huddled up, under a blanket on a bench.  Another person, hood up against the rain, arms folded across their chest looks towards them...

A newly installed sculpture, 'the homeless Jesus', located at the back of St Geroge's Tron Church of Scotland, in Glasgow.  A young man stands silently studying it...

Jesus, cold and alone, sleeping on a park bench, watched over by an unlikely angel...

Yesterday, with two folk from church, I went to look at this newly installed artwork.  We paused on the corner opposite, and I snapped this photo - not great composition, it'd never win any prizes - but I was struck by the intentionality and intensity of the young man's study of the statue.

We walked over, and started to observe it for ourselves.  Other people passed by, some stopping to look at the sculpture, others hurrying on their way.  The young man, unbidden told us it was Jesus.  He shared with us a little of his own story, of homelessness and vulnerability, and how he now had a home (on a very fragile basis) where he was enjoying learning how to live independently.  He told us about the Bible study he attended in the church.  He told us how someone had asked to meet him at a nother nearby church with a very similar name, and that by mistake he'd come to this one, where he found welcome and acceptance.  We all shook hands and he headed off to his Bible study, and we to enjoy lunch in the Wild Olive Branch Cafe inside the church.

If angels are messengers from God, this man was an angel.  He brought us good news, of his own redeeemd and renewed life, of his love of Jesus, of the worth of the little we are able to offer.  I don't know his name, I didn't think to ask, but as he strode purposefully on his way, on a wet Thursday afternoon, I knew he was my 'angel' of the day.