What was the incarnation like? Can we fathom what it cost Christ to walk among us? What did it feel like to take on our sweaty, filthy flesh? What did it cost him to turn away from the song of cherubs on streets of gold and walk through swarms of gnats and the smell of rotting fish on the shores of Galillee? What did he feel when he stretched out his hand and touched the leper? When he touched the ear of the deaf? When his spittle cured the blind? When an unclean woman clutched for the edge of his robe? I can't even get my mind around it.
Do we ever get close to that? They say that cross cultural missions imitates this. But sometimes its even harder to touch life five minutes from my front door. How close are my prayers to being "thank God I'm not like that person."? Without the particular graces God has shown me, I would be that or worse. Do I really have myelf to thank for a healthy body, a sound mind, a strong family, a good education? We are stewards of course, but we can only work with what God first gave and by his grace continues to keep.
I am humbled by my friends. And by those I don't know as well but get to commune with on Sundays. The grandest crowns in heaven aren't going to go to the most brilliant academics or eloquent apologists. I imagine they're going to go to some of the men and women I saw tonight who worked harder than I did but still complained less. Who were far more eager to serve, far more compassionate to speak and to listen. I learned a lot from them tonight about what incarnational ministry looks like. I would like to say they know who they are. But they are so humble they probably don't.
God, have mercy on me a sinner.
2 comments:
I think this is very beautiful from a philosophical standpoint, but what we need to remember (and what I'm sure Steve is implying) is that God does not care about stuff like stinky fish and filthy streets. Things that horrify and disgust us as privileged,
"entitled" Americans do not have any effect on God in terms of personal comfort or comparison to heaven. God is so infinitely above us and all that we are that He would never draw any personal distinction between poverty v. wealth.
What He does notice is the difference between how He treats those who are impoverished v. those who are wealthy.
I think the greatest lesson Steve has just taught us is not to think about God coming down from heaven to walk in filth, but God coming down from heaven to be kind and bring healing to the lepers, the woman with the issue of blood, etc. That is what He wants us to do each day. There are homeless people on every major street corner in Charlotte and so rarely does anyone stop to do anything or even acknowledge that they are there. I remember being horror stricken when someone told me that the reasons there are bars in the middle of the Philly park benches was to keep the homeless from sleeping there.
We need to look at our own poor and the poor all over the world in order to experience the distinction that is really being drawn here.
I think that while some people are dealt harsh cards, it is still up to us what to do with them.
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