Hebrews 13:1-3
Keep being concerned about each
other as the Lord’s followers should. Be sure to welcome strangers into
your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests,
without even knowing it. Remember the Lord’s people who are in jail and
be concerned for them. Don’t forget those who are suffering, but imagine
that you are there with them.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On
December 20, 1981, my grandparents’ farm house burned to the ground.
They got out with their clothing, vehicles, and a few personal
belongings that they grabbed as they ran out the door. The fire burned
so hot that even cast iron skillets and their claw-footed bath tub were
reduced to ashes. This would be devastating for anyone, but my
grandparents were in their early 70s and newly retired - and my
grandfather’s health was declining - so it was particularly stressful
for them.
My dad rushed to arrange for a new house to be
constructed on the property…and it was finished in a record 3+ months.
Meanwhile, dear friends who wintered in a southern state graciously
insisted that my grandmother and grandfather stay in their house. This
was a tremendously generous offer, and we never forgot it!
After
several run-ins with the law over the use and sale of drugs, my cousin
J.D. was sent to prison for several years. I felt God calling me to write
to J.D. – to offer encouragement and remind him how much Jesus did for
him…how much he was loved - even in prison. A mutual friend went to the
prison with me one Saturday for a visit. This was a life-changing
experience for me. For three hours, we sat in this big “common room”
with countless prisoners and their families…guards positioned around the
perimeter alongside dozens of vending machines that offered everything
from ice cream to sodas and candy bars. We had been told to bring
plenty of change…and J.D. and the other prisoners shopped at those
machines virtually non-stop for the entire visit.
One of the
things that struck me was that we were really not supposed to touch the
prisoners…although we were allowed a brief “hello” and “good-bye” hug. I
looked at the people in that room…husbands/boyfriends with
wives/girlfriends and children…mothers and siblings visiting
sons…cousins like me…friends…and the prisoners themselves. I had no
clue what crimes any of these men had committed (other than my
cousin)…although J.D. pointed to a few and enlightened us. But in
general, everyone in the room was on equal footing – at least in our
eyes. And honestly, they held the same position in the eyes of Jesus.
He didn’t see their crimes in degrees of severity…He saw broken people
who needed restitution.
My grandparents and the couple who
ministered to them so sweetly are all in heaven now. And J.D. has
become a completely new creature in Christ Jesus and now serves as an
evangelist throughout the mid-South. But my association with all of
these people forever changed my perspective about the directives of this
passage in Hebrews… and my experiences with Timothy, Zola and Nathan
have solidified my resolve to view others as Jesus does – and to serve
as He commands.
When I see someone in need, I think…”that could
be Timothy or Zola someday.” When I hear people shouting for the
execution of someone who has committed a heinous crime, I ask myself,
“What if that were Nathan?” When I discover that “uncontrollable”
children are being handcuffed in public schools… teenagers who made a
senseless mistake are being labeled lifelong sex offenders…and returning
veterans who cannot find work are filling homeless shelters…I remind
myself that these are the precious children of SOMEBODY. And more
importantly, I try to remember that they are all beloved and invaluable
to Jesus.
So the next time you start to judge or condemn
someone…to call them an ugly name…or to look down your nose at a person
who has disappointed in some way or is “less fortunate,” ask yourself,
“How would Jesus feel?” Consider what He thinks of this person…and
remember that in His eyes, you are their equal - no worse, but certainly
no better.
I am saddened that it took such tragic events to grab
my attention, in some cases…but I am thankful that God used these
experiences to mold my attitude and bring me to a better understanding
of the commandment to “love one another.” My prayer is that you might
learn from my encounters…and be spared the heartache and frustration of
similar hard lessons. I pray that we would all begin to look around for
opportunities to minister to others in Jesus’ name…to let them know how
precious they are to Him…and to genuinely let them know how deeply we
care. Are you ready to show others concern as Jesus would? Don’t you
think you should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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