convicted

Late one night, headed home from the concert, {k} and I ran through a drive thru... one that was advertising a one dollar burger on the sign out front. As we headed out of the parking lot, a black man smiled and raised his index finger in the air. I waved and smiled, thinking he just wanted to be friendly, until Keith commented that he was holding up one finger to show that he wanted one dollar to buy something. We waited before pulling onto the road. Do we give him a dollar? Do we go back through the drive thru and buy him something? The boys weren't with us, and concern for their safety is usually the reason we will never let the window down. Feeling a bit guilty, we pulled on out and drove home, hoping that someone else would come along and do what we didn't.

Two night passed, and then we found ourselves in church on Sunday morning, listening to a sermon entitled, "Where is Jesus?" We seek Jesus in so many places... some seek Him in the sanctuary, some claim to find Him in their Bible. Some find Him in a manger, and others find Him on the cross. Can we find Jesus in those places? Yes, I believe we can, but Jesus also gives us an extremely clear example of where we can find Him in Matthew 25:33-46.

33 He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then will the King say to those on his right hand, 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in.
36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and gave you drink?
38 When did we see you as a stranger and take you in? Or naked and clothed you?
39 Or when did we see you sick or in prison, and come to you?'
40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you that as you have done so to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done so to me.'
41 Then he will say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was an hungry and you gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.
43 I was a stranger and you did not take me in. I was naked and you did not clothe me. I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.'
44 Then they will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you?'
45 Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you that by your not ministering to one of the least of these, you did not minister to me.'
46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.'"2

So, where is Jesus? Is He the needy? Is He the hungry, poor, and downtrodden? By serving those, are we serving HIM? We like to think that by helping others, we are being Jesus to them. And although we are in fact demonstrating Christ's love by giving of our money, time, or talents, we must never forget that above all else, we are SERVING Him through those actions.

On this eve of Thanksgiving, I'm reminded of how very much we have. And I'm reminded of how much more we could give. Not just money... but time, love, patience, understanding, compassion. The list goes on.

What will you give this holiday season?

And to Whom will it be given?