Red Letters – Cardboard Box Houses – April 28
RED LETTERS
April 28, 2021
Cardboard Box Houses
Matthew 25:31-36, ‘”When He finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all His angels with Him, the Son of Man will take His place on His glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before Him and He will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left. Then the King will say to those on the right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by My Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed Me; was thirsty and you gave Me a drink; I was homeless and you gave Me a room; I was shivering and you gave Me clothes; I was sick and you stopped to visit; I was in prison and you came to Me.”’ (MSG)
It is not a new problem. In fact, it is age-old. It is of pandemic proportions which means it inhabits an entire world. It’s name is Apathy. We saw something similar in the story of the Good Samaritan, that most unconcerned citizens just walked on by, their thoughts self-centered and their hearts focused on themselves. We have a steadily growing religion called Me-ism where we reside on our own throne and want to sit on everyone else’s throne as well. The only problem is that’s also true for so many; everyone is a headhunter, chopping down each other to sit on each other’s thrones as well.
The Son of God made Himself lowly, left the righteousness and glory of heaven, set His crown on His throne, and crossed through space and time, to inhabit life with humanity, to take our place and pay the debt we owed. He became the Son of Man so we could become the righteousness of God. The God of the Universe when He looks upon this world doesn’t see the messiness of Michelle. He does not have a front row seat to the tragedy of my choices and the havoc I wrecked before Jesus changed the trajectory of my life; He sees the blood of His Son that covers me.
There are more opportunities than ever before to love others the way that Jesus loves, to be Jesus to those we encounter. People are begging on street corners, marching on medians, leaned up against signposts and sleeping on benches and beneath underpasses. Families are crying out for help as their houses are foreclosed on, pushing grocery carts in front of them with children in tow as they face homeless life in America, Land of the Great. I almost can’t take it when I hear about children in my great country going to bed with empty stomachs and sad hearts.
In fact, in Colorado in February, we had a week or so of below zero temperatures. It was bitter cold for days on end and didn’t get above zero degrees for several days. One night I had a temp of -14 below zero and a ‘real feel’ of -25 degrees. Early the next morning on my way to church, there were a couple men huddled together beneath an underpass with cardboard box houses to call home. I don’t know how they survived. I cried all morning, and when I returned with some hot food, they were no longer there. I was devastated for them.
We run a prison ministry. We are seeing real life changes in people who are wanting a new day to dawn on their old lives. They are being released from prison and making positive affirmations, getting good jobs, being honorable men and women, and paying forward to society what they once took. Many have met Jesus and are choosing to make up for past choices and reaching out then to help others. They just need a hand, a few tangible things they can touch and feel, a little bit of belief in them, a second or fifth chance, and to be reminded they are loved, that they are worth it.
It is amazing what a little bit of attention, and some prayers and care, for others will do. Our heart aching for the marginalized and forgotten and under-privileged is not enough. And Jesus knew it wouldn’t be. That’s why He said, “When you do it to one of the least of these, you are doing it for Me.” It’s never too late to be Jesus to someone else whose path you cross.
I’ve been reading RED LETTERS all my life, but never with my heart.
During the month of April, let’s JOURNEY where JESUS journeyed,
and listen with our hearts to all He came to proclaim.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CONNECTIONS PRISON MINISTRY, please private message me or check us out at connectionsprisonministry.org or CPM on Facebook.
