IMO: You Don’t Have What it Takes - Thursday
Matthew 25:37-39
Then these righteous ones will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?” (NLT)
Do you know a hyphenated person? They tend to be some of our favorite people in the world. The kind of people you have to use hyphens to describe. You know: happy-go-lucky, kind-hearted, care-free, caution-to-the-wind, joy-filled. Hyphenated people. Their lives are an intriguing blend of so many good things that you’re just compelled to mention them simultaneously.
I think the people Jesus is talking with in today’s text are hyphenated people. For them, it makes complete sense to live in a way that brings joy and blessing into the pathway of hurting, outcast, downtrodden people. I love the fact they are innocently oblivious that anyone would even think of acting otherwise. They just did what came naturally to them, the overflow of a transformed heart. And they discovered, in the end, that they’d had the privilege to look Jesus in the eyes throughout their entire lives.
They were the sheep who got to know their Good Shepherd in a way the goats did not. How fitting it is that they are showered with rewards after death—getting to be part of God’s family forever. But you know what? People who live this way also experience a portion of these rewards now. You see, when we spend time with the people Jesus died for—the outcast, the unfortunate, the sin-sick—we feel joy. We literally experience a neurochemical release of endorphins that actually block pain and cause a sense of pleasure. But not only do hyphenated people experience joy themselves—they also bring a smile to the face of God and to the people their lives touch. I don’t know about you, but this is the kind of person I want to be.
I want to extend hope to people who feel like outsiders and be part of God’s mission and ministry to welcome them into the family. Let’s make a determined decision to do this together—with one another and with God. And, by the way, I’m still a work in progress. Take the pressure off. You’re not alone. We are in this together. God wants this more than we do. And He knows how to accomplish His rescue mission in this world.
Thursday’s Reflection
If you’re one of those hyphenated people, I’m so thankful for you. If not, join me in asking God to work in our hearts in a way that helps us become more and more like Jesus, living in ways that bring joy and pleasure—both now and forever!
