A Call to Personal Action

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
Recently I was watching a news show in which commentators were giving unsolicited advice to our incoming president. Most of the advice was pretty forgettable, but one commentator suggested that the new president read Matthew 25 each day before beginning to work. That sent me to my Bible to reread this passage. It was a stunning suggestion. Jesus has a remarkable gift for cutting to the chase, for taking what seem to be huge problems and turning them in simple acts that speak to us on personal terms.
Jesus does not ask us to set up complicated government organizations to care for the homeless, or feed the hungry. He does not ask us to join in mass movements to end poverty or illness. He asks us to act personally. He asks us, not to deal with the issues in the abstract, but to visit, look after, clothe, invite, feed and shelter. No act is too small, no person too unworthy, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brother of mine, you did for me.
As I reread and reflected on this passage, I was struck by how personal this call to action is. Jesus speaks to each of us individually, he calls to personal action,” whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”. It is also a call to awareness of the needs around us. In this economic climate many in our own families, congregation and community will be hurt and in need. We need to be listening, aware and ready to act.
While Jesus calls on us individually to act, that does not mean alone. In the last year as I worked with a local couple to support them in their struggle to move from homelessness to a home, they were supported by this congregation and community. It takes many individuals working in concert with one another to accomplish these tasks.
As we enter into the season celebrating the birth of our Savior, we should reflect on why we celebrate. Christ came into the world to save and to change it. If we are truly his followers then we need to follow his call to action.