Seeing Christ in Strangers
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
-Matthew 25:37-40
How do we see other people? When we look at those around us, do we use a critical eye or a compassionate heart? It is often easier to be critical and use our judgment to discount the needs of others. I drive past and walk past people begging for help nearly every day. There are times when people approach us at the church and I am able to use Deacon Funds to meet their physical or financial needs. But I don’t help every stranger I see. Does that mean I ignored Jesus? Perhaps.
I believe the most important part of caring for “the least of these brothers and sisters” of Jesus is seeing humanity, the divine spark of God, within that individual. It is in seeing Christ in the stranger. We dehumanize the “other” around us so easily. We often see their needs as a reflection of bad choices and justify our rejection and judgment of them as what they deserve for their choices. How is God calling us to be formed and shaped into those who see the hungry and feed them? How is God forming and shaping us into those who care for the sick and visit the prisoner? God wants to give us new eyes to see Christ in the stranger.
It is not possible for us to meet every need of every stranger all over the world. Jesus told his own disciples, “the poor you will always have with you.” (Mark 14:7) He knew that the problem of poverty will not be solved on this earth. But in the new heaven and the new earth, we will not experience pain, suffering, hunger, or death anymore. So what are we to do? Keep praying. When we live in a constant state of prayer, God helps us to see Christ in the stranger. If we keep listening to the Holy Spirit throughout our day, God will reveal to us who God is calling us to help and who God simply wants us to lift up in prayer. But above all else, that prayerful state of being through our day will give us eyes to see Christ in the stranger.
God, we know your commandments, we read your story, we can recite the Golden Rule. Yet every day we ignore you, every day we forget, every day we need your forgiveness. We confess that we are not as perfect as we would like to think. We confess that we often act in ways contrary to your will. It is only through our savior Jesus Christ that we can live the way you call us to. Help us again to listen, to follow, to live. Help us to see Christ in strangers. Amen.
