‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
~ Matthew 25:40
Reflecting on my time here in India, I have thought about how this work fuels my faith. Our organization is intentionally non-religious and does not require adherence to any religious belief. But for me, this work is central to the expression of what I profess. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable about sheep and goats - those who follow his teachings and those who do not. The goats are not those who are actively preventing his work, but those who don’t do what is uncomfortable. Those who do not feed those who are hungry, those who do not welcome the stranger into their midst; those who do visit the sick and imprisoned.
I do not do this work out of pity or guilt. I do not do it because of some threat of Hell. I do not do it to be the ‘white savior.’ I do it because my faith propels me. If I CAN help, shouldn’t I?
The more time I spend in the mission field, the more I am convinced “the church” is not about singing familiar songs, “good preaching” and choosing parament colors. It is about motivating people to step outside their comfort zones and do the work of Jesus:
Heal those who are hurting in body, mind and spirit,
Reconcile warring parties - within our minds, within our families, between our cultures and countries,
Listen to the cries of those unheard,
Forgive ourselves and others, so that we can move forward together.
Feed those who are hungry for food, opportunity, and education.
Give what we can, to allow others to have enough.
And Break the systems that keep some wealthy and leave the rest to fend for themselves.
When I am here. - in india, among the children of Panchsheel School - I think about their lives and am amazed at how resilient they are. They sleep with 250+ of their classmates in a hall, on mats on the concrete floor. They eat three simple meals of rice, daal and chapatis each day. Their parents work in the field, as laborers in construction, as maids, housekeepers and drivers, to support their families and to give their children an opportunity only education can provide.
But “the least” as Jesus refers to them are not to be pitied or shamed. They are children of God and deserve all the best the world has to offer. But they are (as we all are) stuck in systems of injustice that keeps some wealthy and some poor. They are not “least” in terms of value to the world, to God, or to me.
There are a lot of things I cannot do, but this I can.
Donate $100 to provide a girl a year’s worth of school? I can do that.
Provide opportunities for others to be involved in such a worthy cause? I can do that.
Share the challenges and joys of these beloved children, to move others to action? I can do that.
So I do.