A few weeks ago, I wrote about envisioning and touching a homeless person.
Imagine with me, meeting a homeless man or woman. Their hair is matted and filthy. Lice are crawling through it and onto their forehead. Their clothes smell of feces and urine. Sores are evident on their grime-covered skin and you are sure they are carrying something contagious. Flies crawl across their face and they seem oblivious to them. Hopelessness and great sorrow fill their eyes.
Slowly, you see your hand rise up with the intent to rest it on their shoulder. Horror fills you at the thought of touching them. You hesitate, with your hand in mid-air.
“What am I doing? What if I get contaminated or infected? Why do I need to touch them? I can talk to them from here.”, you reason.
Jesus didn’t talk to people from a distance. He touched them, and he let them touch Him (Matt. 8:3, Mark 7:33). He ate with them, sat with them (Matt. 9:10, Mark 2:16), and allowed them to throng and push against Him (Mark 3:10, Luke 8:45 NKJV).
In John 13: 3-5, we see Christ washing the feet of his apostles. The apostles wore sandals, often on dusty dirt roads. People of Bible days did not bathe on a regular basis. Most did not have access to or could afford a bath, especially those who were sick or infirmed. Yet He did not hesitate to touch them.
Our Saviour expects us to do likewise. We are the hands and feet of Christ to the world around us, today, to those who don’t know Him, and are suffering, despite how they look.
We will be held accountable for our judgement of others, and our words (Matthew 7:1-5, 12:36). Our actions will also be taken into account by our Lord (Matthew 5:43-45, Mark 12:33, Luke 6:27-38). Because we have been forgiven and shown great mercy by a holy God, we are called to do the same to others. To our brothers and sisters in Christ, yes, but also to those who are still living in darkness.
Is it hard? Yes. Is it scary? For sure. Is it beyond us? Often. But the Lord never promised following Him would be easy or comfortable. The exact opposite. He did promise to be with us in whatever He called us to do. He has the power and the brawn; we are only asked to be the conduits. Through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, we can reach out, touch and draw near to those who need Him as much as we do. Those who are confused, doubting, lost and prisoners of the enemy. The ones who have been forgotten or who have fallen through the cracks of society.
What do we want to hear our Lord say when it is our time to go home? For me, I want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
If you are not sure how, where or when, ask your heavenly Father and He will show you the way. He is waiting to give you the opportunity and ability to be His light in dark places.
Let us not shrink back in fear, Sisters! May we step out in faith wherever and to whoever our loving Lord sends us, with courage and confidence in the One who is victorious. We do it with the wisdom and truth of His word because He said so. Then the Holy Spirit can fill them, transferring their sins to Christ and His love and mercy to them.
Be well!
Patricia