I was hungry and you fed me.
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.
I was homeless and you gave me a room.
I was shirvering and you gave me clothes.
I was sick and you stopped to visit.
I was in prison and you came to me.
Matthew 25: 35-36 (The Message)
Do you ever read the Bible and feel condemned for who you're not? Me too, and this is one of the major culprits. I'm not sure how many times I've read these words or heard them spoken from the pulpit or referred to in a book, but it's been more than just a few times, and each time, something inside me cringes. When do I ever do any of these things? I don't work in our church's benevolence ministry. I don't go downtown and hang out with the homeless, bringing them food, clothing, and offering our home as shelter even on the coldest of days. I don't visit prisoners. Therefore I'm a failure. A selfish pig. At least that's how I feel when I take these words at face value. Yet I know that being loved and accepted by God has absolutely nothing to do with my performance -my good deeds or lack thereof. If it did, Christ died for nothing (Galatians 2:21), and I know that's not true. He did indeed die for something - ALL my sins (and yours too!). So I have to read the above verses in light of God's grace, in light of His goodness and love for me, and in that light, I know that this isn't a list of what I must do to gain His approval. It's never about that. It's always about my heart and His grace.
When I read these words and see them as Jesus expressing His heart rather than a to-do list coming down from on high, it changes everything. It makes me want to do them because it will bring me closer to Jesus' heart. It won't gain me entrance into heaven or a bigger mansion when I get there, it will make me one with my Savior here on earth.
And here's what's even more wonderful: while I believe the literal meaning is true and relevant - that Jesus has a heart for the physically poor and hungry, I also believe that "poor," "hungry," "homeless," "in prison," and "thirsty" can have a much broader meaning than Webster's definitions. There is more than one way to be hungry, more than one way to thirst or be homeless or in prison. I've been all of those things though I've always had a roof over my head and food in my stomach. I haven't run the statistics, but I would guess that 100% of the people you encounter in your day - virtually or in person - have been or currently are poor, hungry, or hurting in some way. When you offer them even a taste of what Christ has given you -peace, joy, love, grace, mercy, patience - you're feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the poor. You're being Christ to them, and as the above verses go on to say, you're loving Jesus Himself. I don't know about you, but that's a "to-do list" I can live with!
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.
I was homeless and you gave me a room.
I was shirvering and you gave me clothes.
I was sick and you stopped to visit.
I was in prison and you came to me.
Matthew 25: 35-36 (The Message)
Do you ever read the Bible and feel condemned for who you're not? Me too, and this is one of the major culprits. I'm not sure how many times I've read these words or heard them spoken from the pulpit or referred to in a book, but it's been more than just a few times, and each time, something inside me cringes. When do I ever do any of these things? I don't work in our church's benevolence ministry. I don't go downtown and hang out with the homeless, bringing them food, clothing, and offering our home as shelter even on the coldest of days. I don't visit prisoners. Therefore I'm a failure. A selfish pig. At least that's how I feel when I take these words at face value. Yet I know that being loved and accepted by God has absolutely nothing to do with my performance -my good deeds or lack thereof. If it did, Christ died for nothing (Galatians 2:21), and I know that's not true. He did indeed die for something - ALL my sins (and yours too!). So I have to read the above verses in light of God's grace, in light of His goodness and love for me, and in that light, I know that this isn't a list of what I must do to gain His approval. It's never about that. It's always about my heart and His grace.
When I read these words and see them as Jesus expressing His heart rather than a to-do list coming down from on high, it changes everything. It makes me want to do them because it will bring me closer to Jesus' heart. It won't gain me entrance into heaven or a bigger mansion when I get there, it will make me one with my Savior here on earth.
And here's what's even more wonderful: while I believe the literal meaning is true and relevant - that Jesus has a heart for the physically poor and hungry, I also believe that "poor," "hungry," "homeless," "in prison," and "thirsty" can have a much broader meaning than Webster's definitions. There is more than one way to be hungry, more than one way to thirst or be homeless or in prison. I've been all of those things though I've always had a roof over my head and food in my stomach. I haven't run the statistics, but I would guess that 100% of the people you encounter in your day - virtually or in person - have been or currently are poor, hungry, or hurting in some way. When you offer them even a taste of what Christ has given you -peace, joy, love, grace, mercy, patience - you're feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the poor. You're being Christ to them, and as the above verses go on to say, you're loving Jesus Himself. I don't know about you, but that's a "to-do list" I can live with!
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