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Re-mind

Monday, March 14, 2011

Matthew 25:40 and 25:45
The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me ... and ... Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."

In this last discourse before his arrest and crucifixion Jesus uses a variety of stories to help his listeners grasp his concept of the kingdom of heaven. All the stories call on us to give and love, and to do it right now.

Jesus multiplies that urgency by identifying himself with the poor and the dying. He's incensed by our tendency to ignore all needs except our own. That tsunami of human selfishness is exactly what the kingdom of heaven is not.

I don't take Jesus' words seriously enough. In The Hole in Our Gospel, the president of World Vision paraphrased Jesus' words and helped me see how limited my perspective is:

For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved. (RESV - Richard E. Stearns Version), p. 124

World Vision estimates that it works with 100 million of the "world's most vulnerable" people, most of them children, in 100 countries, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Stearns' previous presidency, of the Lenox China Company, didn't turn his focus much toward the poor. China is a luxury, and fine china costs a lot of money. Stearns was a hard sell; he pushed the strange offer from World Vision away for months and months. He said No. Over and over. And then finally, he said Yes.

A story in his book describes his wife's experience carrying water in their Seattle suburb, from a nearby lake to their home. Most of it had sloshed out by the time she carried it the half-mile or so. If their family cut their water usage by 90%, she could have carried the water they needed each day in about 8 hours.

Once his young son asked Stearns if he wouldn't like to jump into the corporate gravy boat just one more time. Drive a Jaguar again, cash those big checks with all the zeros. Stearns felt a fast rush of ego flood his head, and then just as quickly run on out.

Nope, he said.

Jesus, you make this simple. I just need to show up, and you'll show me how to give and love, give and love. And you say everyday to me, "You can do this thing." Thank you for saying it over and over and over again.



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