One advantage this blog had over the others is that I mentioned hard drive problems in my last post, so hopefully that means my disappearing for a month didn't startle anyone too much.
As it is, I still remember the two other things I wanted to write about the parable, though next week sort of moves beyond it.
For the parable itself, I had spent some time looking at the different needs, trying to see if there was something I was missing.
hungered - given meat
thirsty -given drink
a stranger -taken in
naked - clothed
sick - visited
in prison came to me
There are things that we can think about, and that we can over think. Meat has one translation meaning animal flesh, and there are times where it is more helpful for reviving someone. It also could be seen as a more expensive or high-quality source of food, but also meat in this case could just mean food.
We could over-rationalize things, where if someone is wearing clothes they are not naked, and therefore not in need, without thinking about things like whether the clothes are sufficiently warm for the weather, or protective for the labor, or comfortable or clean or appropriate for the situation, which can affect a whole different type of comfort.
I think there are two main takeaways for me.
It starts with basic physical needs, but does not stop there; social and emotional needs are included too, and therefore we should know that they are important.
Also, they are all things that we should be within our abilities.
Jesus didn't have to stop at visiting the sick. He could heal them, so that they weren't sick anymore. Society as a whole may have healing abilities that we are not fully using, but for individual disciples with imperfect skills and faith, that we remember the sick, and express caring to them, can be enough.
Like I said, next week I want to go looking a little bit beyond that, and if you want to look ahead, Matthew 11 could be a good starting place.
Before that, I want to point out a couple of things.
One I have been thinking about. My mind periodically returns to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Physiological needs are at the bottom, followed by safety, and a sense of love and belonging. Those who know the King, even if they did not realize that's what they were doing, were building up the base of the pyramid. They were making sure that people were fed and clothed and taken in. Until there is that supportive base, esteem and self-actualization aren't possible.
I know some people argue against Maslow, and I absolutely acknowledge that real life rarely works along clearly well-defined models; humans are too messy for that. Without having all of your basic needs met, you may still develop some esteem, and may discover some sense of self and purpose and all of those good things, but the unmet needs can hold you back.
I believe God wants us to achieve our full potential. That involves us helping each other, and meeting needs, and the parable is unequivocal in how we do that.
James 2:
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
I don't know if I would have even mentioned all that in this post if I had not seen this article today:
http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-evangelicals-christians-us-army-military-ptsd-792797
My first response was just anger that anyone who tells soldiers that PTSD is their own fault is allowed anywhere near them. However, I guess if you want to justify selfishness, deciding that every lack is a matter of insufficient faith and righteousness on the part of others is logical.
It is also wrong, and without scriptural justification. It is evil. It makes the world a nastier place. It prolongs pain.
And it puts you among the cursed.
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