Other People (Part I)

When you look at other people, do you see Christ?  I can hear your responses now: “Umm, do you know other people?  They are jerks and hurtful.  They would take everything from me given the chance and leave me to die.  Even the ones that intend to be good will eventually sell you to feed their ego and pride.”  Unfortunately, I’d have to agree since my first-hand knowledge as a “other people” confirms your comments.  We are all “other people” to someone.  My reflection upon myself provides confirmation that I am those things … and worse still.

Yet, Matthew 25 records Christ teaching, “³⁴Then the King will 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 give You drink? ³⁸ When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe 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, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

There they are, those “other people” we’re talking about (to include ourselves).  They have many needs, the biggest of which is knowledge of God through salvation in Jesus Christ and to learn to dwell on His Word and thoughts at all times.  But, Jesus doesn’t say that here.  He remarks to the physical needs of “other people”, something I find striking and worth reflection.  Food, drink, clothing, and visitations in hospitals or prison – all physical things.  Notice what it is not - prayer, teaching, preaching, prophesizing, evangelizing, and discipling.

What are we to do?  Are we to provide for everyone’s physical needs and neglect their spiritual needs?  This is not the message I receive from the Church.  That message is provide for their spiritual needs first and if they get that right I’ll tend to their other needs.  It makes logical sense, the spiritual issue is more important between the two.  But if they aren’t serious about knowing Christ, then I can’t waste physical resources on them.  Is this really the message of Jesus Christ?  Where in His statement above, when He is judging people in the throne of heaven, does He commend them for being careful to not help people unwanting or unwilling to help themselves? … I looked again, twice, and I can’t find it – no matter how much I want to see it there.  It says simply, "inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren".  My brethren, my family, my brothers and sisters!  The unwanted and ignored, the least, is family to Christ.

Christ fed people.  When He did it, it was miraculous.  Christ visited the sick.  When He did, it was miraculous.  Christ visited the dead.  And yes, it was miraculous.  It demonstrated that a physical item, blessed by God, was an easy task for Him and it revealed the glory of God.  What a minute! Revealing the glory of God is a spiritual thing, not a physical thing.  (Aha moment!)  Physical things are not the issue.  However, for someone who can't see spiritually, seeing physically is the only means you have to serve them.