For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.
The Pharisees had trouble with this verse. They didn't see tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers and other sinners as "his people." If Jesus was God, how could he possibly get his hands so filthy?
But fast forward to the 21st century... Aren't we still like the Pharisees? How would we deal with a slutty prostitute walking into our church? How about two guys holding hands and kissing? What about a smelly drunk hobo? That's too messy for us to deal with. We immediately think, "those are not my people!" But what does God say?
In Matthew 9:11-13 the Pharisees asked the disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" Then Jesus responded, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (a reference to Hosea 6:6)
The work we are put here on earth to do can be messy. We have to love one another, this means any other not just the safe ones you choose. We continue to be selective with our love, being careful not to get to close to "messy" people. When will we figure out that God's will is for us to get our hands dirty?
Audio Adrenaline has a song called "Dirty", now I understand it!
"Let's get dirty! let's get used, no matter where you come from, if your beatten up or brused, let's get foolish, let's get free, free to be the one thing, you were meant to be, Let's get dirty!"
2 comments:
You are so right about this! If Jesus was walking the Earth right now he would be down in these downtrodden neibourhoods reaching out to these Lost yet redeemable Souls! Wait a minute, Jesus is still walking the Earth today in the form and function of his Body as that he is the Head and we are his hands and feet and arms and elbows and kneecaps!We need to be flexible in this! Seems we need a Heart change so we can function at the most productive level to bring about change and lose any Elitest and Self- Righteous attitudes we may have formed in our own Hearts! We must use wisdom and prayer to find such a solution!
It is interesting that we are driven to go to church to get closer to God and in the comfort of the "church" we might stand there one day and say "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?" Matthew 25:37-39
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