Daily Reflections on Mt. 25:31-46 (Choosing Sides)

When we were kids we always chose up sides for virtually any game we played. Kickball, baseball, wiffleball, war, football, basketball, capture the flag any game that required two teams the process would be the same. The group would first choose two captains. Then everyone else would line up. The captains would then pick who would be on their team. Depending on the game and whether we were playing with mixed company, often the teams would be separated as "shirts" and "skins." Shirts kept their shirts on. Skins took their shirts off. It was easy to identify your teammates that way.

Reading through this passage in Mt. 25, I always think of those childhood experiences. But instead of "shirts" and "skins," Jesus is separating those gathered into two camps as sheep and goats. In our athletic events or games, your abilities, as demonstrated by past performances, got you picked early. The better you were at a particular game, got you picked first. Jesus is kind of doing the same thing. He's choosing who gets to be on His team based on past performance.

The performance, however, Jesus is looking for doesn't have to do with abilities, talents, intelligence or athletic prowess. It has to do with heart. Have you demonstrated a servant's heart? Jesus has a distinct set of requirements to be on His team. Ironically, the criteria isn't how much you know about the Bible. It isn't how often you attended church. It isn't how many committees you served on or Sunday School classes you taught.

Jesus' criteria for being on His team is who and how have you served? The people on His team fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, sheltered the strangers/the homeless, clothed the needy, cared for the sick, assisted the imprisoned. Those who did these things are welcomed into His Kingdom. Those who didn't, don't get to go into heaven.

I've been to and a part of a lot of churches. If this is the criteria for getting into heaven, I know a lot of Christians who'll be playing on the goats team. There is very little focus on "the least of these" for many followers of Christ. I know many churches that are focused more on doctrine and programs that appease their constituents, than they are on the needs of "the least of these" in their communities. They are more passionate about the style of music or what they sit in on Sunday morning, than they are about "the least of these."

Instead of building massive structures to meet and play in, wouldn't it be better for God's people to be investing in community health clinics, food and clothing banks, homeless shelters, transitional housing, job training, home care or appropriate housing for the elderly and prison ministries. God's church had 3,000 converts on the first Sunday. They grew to tens of thousands in relatively short order. The amazing thing is that they didn't have a 200 acre campus with a gorgeous 3,500 seat worship center, state of the art educational wing, multipurpose center, interactive children's wing and full sports facility. They had nothing. They met in the existing temple courts and from house to house.

I can't really criticize. I have to ask myself the question, how much do I focus on "the least of these." If you took a good look at my history and my daily life, I'd be found lacking in this area. My heart is there, but my actions are questionable.

But the good news is that instead being chosen by the captain for this team, I can choose what team I'm going to be on. That's been the goal I've had for our new church; that we'd be a church concerned about "the least of these."

God, forgive my blindness to the needs that are around me. Forgive my stinginess, too. Help me lead my church to become the kind of church that has this type of servant's heart for people. Give us the vision and the resources to meet these needs. Allow people in need to see you through us.

Daily Reflections on Ps. 82:1-4 (The New Deal, Bad Deal, and Real Deal)

I think I agree with the late Larry Burkett when he said that Franklin Roosevelt's, "New Deal" was actually a bad deal for America. Not that helping the disadvantaged is a bad idea, quite the contrary. The path of entitlement programs have overtaxed our country's resources. Now solubility of government programs like Social Security and Medicare are in doubt. Why? The Baby Boom followed by The Pill has created a kink in the pyramid cash flow principle. The shear numbers game is falling apart because the number of younger working adults isn't growing to meet the number of rapidly aging older adults. Add to that the mentality of entitlement programs and before long we'll see universal health care next. At the rate we're going, Americans will have 50-60% (or more) of their income taken out in taxes.

I think the "New Deal" was a bad deal for another reason. I think it has actually taken away our sense of responsibility to our friends, neighbors and others in general. It's created an "I'm entitled" mentality. It's also created a "let the government handle it" mentality. Don't we have programs to handle the poor and needy and down on your luck kind of people? I don't have to worry about feeding the poor because I pay taxes so that they can have food stamps.

Those who call themselves followers of Christ, the church, has been seriously affected by this cultural trend. In most of the churches that I have either served or attended, very little funds or energy was devoted to ministry to the poor, the hungry, the needy, the down and outers. We spent huge amounts on various internal programs and building payments.

I read passages like this in Ps. 82 and think, "have we as Christians missed a key element in our calling?" At the risk of being accused of preaching social gospel, isn't the church, God's people, supposed to be the advocates for the poor, the weak, the fatherless, the needy, the oppressed? Are we the ones who should be giving a cup of cold water, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting in prison, caring for needs?

As we close in on Christmas, it's easy for us to toss a couple coins in the bell ringer bucket or take a toy to a kid who isn't going to get Christmas. But what about the ongoing daily needs of people? Jesus obviously cared about the needs of people. Look at His life on earth. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, gave sight to the blind, challenged the unjust practices, released the oppressed, unfettered those held captive by demonic control and sin, gave hope to the hopeless, and proclaimed the Good News.

God, give me your eyes to see. Give me your heart and passion. Show me how to minister to those in need around me. I want to follow your path of sharing the Good News of God's love in practical meaningful ways. And not just at Christmas, Lord, but year round. I don't want to promote "New Deals." I want to proclaim the REAL Deal.