It is easy to fall into the thinking that all homeless people are using money for booze, drugs, and other self destructive tendencies. So we seal up our help and excuse indifference with the belief our aid would be in vain. Had Christ adopted such an attitude towards us who have as much sin in us as those on the street, we’d be in a poor state indeed; thanks be to Him he died for us when we were his enemies, “6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:6-10). And yet we pass judgement on those suffering? Imagine is God had chosen to do as we do to the poor?!
It may be that your gift to a downtrodden person on the street goes to there addiction, but aren’t we feeding out own addictions and lusts as well? At Christmas we expect all these things, to satisfy our entertainment addiction, our sweet tooth, and more. The truth is Covid this year has crushed people around the world. Families have been evicted because they cannot afford rent and many are living in RVs. How many Tiny Tims are in vans with their parents trying to keep warm in the cold wintertime? Can we be so heartless?! This is the time of giving! People need our help! They need to see Christ in us, they need Christ’s warm touch, and this is through us!
Let us set aside our indifference and hypocrisy , and take up the James 2 Banner of helping others, “1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet,"
4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:1-17). There are brothers and sisters suffering right now! Don’t turn aside and ignore it, don’t be Ebenezer Scrooge before he is reformed who says, “good let them die and remove surplus of people.”
Christ thinks every soul is precious, and so should we! For every man and woman and child is made in the image of God, “Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27). And Christ died for every one of them! They are worth more than gold, comfort and all precious things to the Lord! So let us treat our fellow man as Christ did. Stop letting bitterness turn your heart black and instead let it beat with the Beatitudes:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” Matthew 5:3-11)
Let us sow peace, mercy, and compassion during this Christmas Season! Lets do more than pray, lets lift people up in the rays of charity! Amen.
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