Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"
The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." ( Matthew 25:34–40)
Yesterday at Creekside we had the privilege to hear from Dr. Christopher Zoolkoski, a full time doctor, serving in one of the hardest places on the planet, Niger. Every day he is in contact with the poor, the sick, the dying. The magnitude of need is beyond his ability to make a dent. And yet he serves. And when he tells his stories, you hear a richness and fullness rather than frustration and fatigue.
The passage above tells us that In a way too mysterious to completely understand, we meet Jesus in those people most in need of healing, and in the process we ourselves are healed. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said of people to whom she ministered, “They are Jesus. Everyone is Jesus in a distressing disguise.” God’s economy is not a zero-sum economy, but an economy of abundance. As we move outward as healing agents in the areas of brokenness, our giving does not deplete us, but actually fills us. As we move from our inward journey with God, we meet him in our outward journey to the world.
Jesus himself said as much when he said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). Those who have dared to take Jesus at his word and have met him in the process regularly share the reality of this mysterious encounter with him in his distressing disguise.
- As Dr. Zoolkoski spoke, did you feel challenged?
- As you read the passage above and hear the invitation to meet Jesus in the suffering do you feel challenged?
- If you felt challenged, can you put a voice to that challenge? What questions do you have and who can anser them?
- If you felt no challenge, is it because you already meet Jesus in his distressing discuss, or is there some other reason?
- Who do you have in your life to process questions like this, and to explore solutions with you?
- If no one, who might you ask to fill that role with you?
God seeks an ever deepening and intimate relationship with you. A relationship that connects all the areas of your life with your faith in him. It is a rhythm of inwardly being with God, outwardly meeting God and in community being the people of God.
Peace, hope and love
Doug
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