Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Serve the unseen

So this may seem incredibly lame or whatnot, but right now, not really caring so much. If you think its lame, don't tell me...but if you think its awesome, hit me up haha

Anyway, I went to Gel group tonight (for those who don't know what gel is...think bible study but cooler). It was pretty flippin sweet. I haven't ever really been to a 'real' gel group before so it was a semi-new experience, but it wasn't really awkward. A few of the people already new me, so it made it less awkward. Beyond that, it was neat. I liked it. I plan on going back :)

The talk tonight was cool too. It was on Matthew 25:31-46. The basic overview of it is serving the least of the people around you. Going out of your comfort zone to help someone that is thirsty, naked, hungry, lonely, sick, etc. And by doing this, you are fulfilling the greatest commandment ever, love your neighbor as yourself. It just kinda hit me that it isn't done enough. Personally, I don't think I do it enough. Cause its hard. Its difficult to walk up to someone who looks lost and help them find their way (specially if your sense of direction sucks like mine). Its hard to go up to someone and ask how you can help them. I mean, really now, how many of us are honestly going to go up to a beggar on the street and say "Hey. Come home and have dinner with me. Take a shower in my bathroom, have some new clothes, get some real food. Come home with me." That would be scary to a lot of us. Especially in this day and age. But isn't that what Jesus wants us to do? Take someone and show them love at the hardest point in their loves? But is it physical hunger, nakedness, thirstiness, sickness, etc that he's talking about in this passage? I don't think so. Sometimes people hunger for things other than food. Sometimes people hunger for contact, for friendship. Maybe sometimes feeding someone is listening to them talk, walking with them, going to a movie or something. Maybe sometimes clothing someone doesn't have to be physical clothes. Sometimes it could be clothing them with love and grace. Showing them that they are loved and giving that metaphoric love blanket to wrap up in. Maybe sometimes giving someone who is thirsty a drink of water could mean sending them a passage or encouraging word. Maybe visiting the sick doesn't mean in a hospital or if they are ill with the flu, maybe their illness is something more of sin and all it takes to serve them is helping them find ways through it. Maybe serving that ill person is doing nothing more than praying for them. I don't think Jesus was only talking about serving the way we generally think of when we read this passage. I believe it goes a little deeper than that. I believe it means serving the unseen illnesses, nakedness, hunger pains, and dehydration. The least of society surrounds us all the time. And sometimes, they aren't always the beggar in the street, sometimes they are the well to do business man in the coffee shop.

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