He swept into the hotel lobby seemingly out of nowhere. He was tall, dark-haired with a neatly trimmed beard. He was expensively dressed; a grey sport coat, silk shirt; delicate gold chain around his neck and a large watch on his wrist. His physical presence was imposing, his manner-in a hurry, impatient and unhappy. He strode towards a small group of men gathered to meet him; two were Chinese and two others, middle-eastern. They all greeted him with the Arabic ‘Salaam Alaykuma'. He returned the greeting without enthusiasm as he walked through the little knot of men, as though they didn't exist. He was a head-taller than all of them.

He then turned to one of those gathered, took him aside and gave what seemed to be an order which was accompanied by a nod of his head towards the Chinese who looked anxious and clearly wanting to please. The man to whom he was talking then joined the little group; followed by a worried discussion and then, with what seemed like a resolution, they all left the lobby towards the big glass doors and a waiting limousine; the big man in front, the others following like so many hurried and harried ducklings.

I had watched the 5-minute proceedings seated in a leather hi-backed chair barely 10 feet away. I had a book in front of me, hiding, but I was fascinated. So I watched, eyes peering over page and I listened. I thought later about this brief encounter. My conclusion: although I didn't know what kind of passport he was carrying, but here, before me was a loyal citizen of Revelation's "Babylon"-the global "free trade" community-at its worst: nominally religious, self-important and self-satisfied, doing business, treating people as means to his ends. The rich win, the poor lose.

But one day God may, or will strip him of his position and wealth and those who want a piece of it and then who will he be? I don't know. But I do know he's somehow another human being created in the image of God, made in love for love, for love of neighbor and love of God. But it was difficult to see that humanity and that end, that image, through the arrogance that clung to him like a shroud. I hated what I saw. I didn't love him and didn't want to.