At the end of Matthew 39 Jesus tells a story of how when the Son of Man comes he will sit and separate out the sheep and the goat. To the sheep he will say 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For
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, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
So I had to read that last part again. When "I was in prison...you came to visit me." How easy I find it to feed the hungry who may have accidentally gotten there or I am apt to invite the stranger in that looks decent enough. Conversely, how often have I said "those poor people have chosen their life of corruption and pain so I don't feel responsible for paying any attention to them." Wasn't I taught that tough love and consequences teaches people to change? But Jesus' words move me to a new way of caring. Love and take care of those who have chosen a path that most hurts humanity. Love and nurture those who would be most likely to ruin my life.
The moment I love those who have less then me physically, emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, with both my time and money, interest and concern I am ushered into the Kingdom of Love.
