Alexandra has got me thinking about Mercy. Jesus lists these 6 acts of mercy in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25 v31-46). He's very blunt about this. I've been trying to think about how I measure up to that standard as He laid it out. And I'm afraid that I fall miserably short. I fear I'm a goat.
Bear with me as I 'audit' my obedience to God's demands.
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Welcome the stranger
Clothe the naked
Visit the sick
Visit the prisoner
Feed the Hungry
We support an orphanage in India. But this imperative should be lived out here too. We have a very good (compared to other countries) state welfare system, but I know from personal experience that people can fall through the cracks. Taking one or two items to church for the food bank every week doesn't really cut it. I've become complacent. I need to think about doing more.
Give drink to the thirsty
I don't think I knowingly do this at all. I suppose we could support a clean water charity working in developing countries?
Welcome the Stranger
Yes, something I'm good at! I have to force myself outside my comfort zone because I'm naturally an introvert, but I have learned to do this. I'm so much better at hospitality than I used to be too. I think I can tick this box. And yet, when I see the Romanian woman selling the Big Issue in the town, do I do anything other than try to get past her without catching her eye?
Clothe the naked
This is so hard. We don't know any naked people. I know that sounds silly. Does donating socks to a homeless project count? I've often thought about sending clothes to the orphanage in India but cotton is very cheap in India and all the clothes we buy here so cheaply are made in Bangladesh anyway. I need to think about this one, especially the economics of it.
Visit the sick
Not good at this one. Hospitals frighten me. I feel stressed and nauseous as soon as I get to the car park. I'm pretty useless when confronted with dying people. I never know what to do or say. I just pray that when I'm in that position that God will send me someone not as useless as I am! I don't even know how to get better at this. I do send cards! And I take meals to people who've just come out of hospital, but I think that's a cop-out really.
Visit the prisoner
I feel even worse about prisons than I do about hospitals! I can't imagine any circumstances in which I'd be voluntarily visiting anyone in prison. I guess I rationalise this by telling myself that prisons in C20th UK probably resemble the conditions of rich man in biblical times. Prisoners are sheltered, clothed, well fed, often educated, have access to chaplains etc etc. I just don't know what Jesus would expect in this situation. A woman from our church is a prison visitor and another man is the governor of a local prison. What can I do? What am I emotionally able to do?
But I had better get ready because,
'When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.'
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9 comments:
Perhaps I'm thinking about this wrongly...I'm still learning, but I think we are supposed to do all of this as God leads us to do it. That means we don't have to do this all of the time, but we are supposed to these things as He brings us opportunity to do so. I visited my brother when he got into trouble as a drug addict. I've given a chicken from my refrigerator when a neighbor had need of food. I've given the children's out grown clothing away to a friend who needed things for their children. I've visited a friend who was dying of cancer...and prayed with them when they wanted to give up. But I can't do all things at all times...there's not enough of me to go around. But if I rely on the Holy Spirit to enable and equip me as He brings these situations into my life...then I think I'm obeying. I think. I hope. (And I need to study the Word more to make sure I'm doing this all right...)
I can't believe this! Last night at the bible study/worship group I've started to go back to, we discussed this very verse, coming to many of the same conclusions as you, although I'm completely hopeless at hospitality as well as I worry that the house is never tidy enough to even contemplate it!
Hi Yvonne,
This is interesting, isn't it? When I re-read Matt 25 I was shocked at how brutally frank Jesus was: read v 45-46 again and see if they don't take your breath away.
I know that reading this can lead to trust in a works-based faith which I do believe to be wrong. I don't mean to suggest that. And I know it is not possible to ever 'do enough' and that we cannot 'earn God's favour'. And yet. If Jesus said this, and He did, we have to take the simplest interpretation of His words and believe them, don't we?
I guess I'm not sure what people mean when they say 'as God leads me', though I have no doubt of their generosity and 'open-armed' love of the poor. No doubt at all. Perhaps they are more sensitive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit than I am?
I only know that my own response to these words of Jesus needs to be more sacrificial in nature. You see?
LOL! That happens so often, doesn't it, Lorraine? God sends us the same verses from different directions when He wants it to settle in our hearts.
Hi again Dorothy,
I just read the verses you suggested. I think what it's saying here is if you are not obeying Christ...then you are not following Him, which would lead one to conclude that you must not be loving and believing Him and therefore that you are not set apart/saved. I cringe to say that...I would never suppose to judge someone in that manner, but God has the right to do so!
When I say something like, "Following God as He leads me," I mean that if the Lord brings someone into my life who has need of a meal, and I have the means to help and I know that God would want me to help them (after all He makes it crystal clear in His Word that we should help) then I should give that person a meal/hospitality. But that also means that I should be trusting God for the enablement and provision for each situation. The potential is that flesh/fear enter the picture and the obedience and blessing is lost.
If I wait on the Lord He quickens my heart to act, He enables me to carry out His instructions. On the other many people try to hard to obey and often carry out what should have been "good things," in their own power. I've seen much sour fruit out of this kind of work. (But that's another blog post.)
I have some growing to do in this area. Last week I felt the Holy Spirit quicken me to buy "ice cold water," from a homeless man. But I thought on it too long and the light turned green. I didn't take the time to go back. I've been regretful since. I should have obeyed...and quickly!
I'm thinking that walking in the Spirit happens in ever deepening ways as your relationship with Jesus strengthens. The closer you are walking with Him, the more you are trusting and believing Him, the more in tune you are to His will and call on your life.
Just more thoughts. It is a very interesting topic to ponder.
Yes, Yvonne. It may be that God is speaking to you more through the HS than through the Word at the moment and I think these things do vary throughout the course of a person's life.
God also communicates with us through His Word though and Jesus was speaking very clearly in this passage. I've been shaken up and chastened by the realisation that I have NOT been as obedient as I could be and need to mend my ways. I don't need to wait until the spirit moves me to obedience. I simply need to obey.{g}
Just one thing to consider, and you probably already have but...your church acts as one body; no one person can over all the ministries. And the ministries cover all the merciful acts. If you are supporting the church with your time and monetary support, you are making the Word flesh.
We can always do more, but don't discount your contributions - lending your particular God given gifts to the church. Not all of us would be sharing our gifts by working the prison ministries or with the sick, some of us are better at other tasks. Of course, there are always other ways to provide support in the background for ministries we are not directly a part of.
I get what you are saying about being chastised...just thought I'd mention this. :)
Yes, good point, Alexandra.
Dorothy, I have also thought of these things and realize I fall short. Like you pointed out, sometimes it is hard to know how to do some of these things.
I would like to think that bringing our five "orphans" home has helped us a bit in this area, but there is always so much more that can be done.
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