Day 23 – Humanity

 

Helensburgh Pier (DS)

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25: 37-40)

 One of the core obligations in the Bible is to welcome the stranger – because God does it. But this welcome is much more than a greeting or a meal. It is a commitment to the needs of a whole society. Nor is this welcome offered on any preferential terms, such as race, gender, social class, wealth or influence.  God does not just care for the stranger and call us to do the same. The stranger is where we meet him. The face of the stranger is his face so to reject the stranger is to reject him. The people in today’s passage did not recognise their king. Their welcome and care for those in need were not offered out of self-conscious service to a religious creed or ideology. Perhaps they weren’t even trying to be good. They were just being human – like God.

(Extract from Dust & Glory by David Runcorn)

 Prayer

Jesus, help me to see you in those I meet today.