Reflection on Matthew 25:31-46

Rebecca was constantly late for class.  And each time she was late she would run into the classroom, yelling to the professor, “Sorry…sorry.  I had to help my grandma get to the doctor.”  And, another time: “Sorry…sorry!  There was a guy who was broke down on the road and I had to stop and help.”  “Sorry…sorry.  I was picking up food for my sick roommate.”

It was constant, but the professor was always forgiving.  How do you get mad at such a virtuous person? 

She was the Good Samaritan on steroids; stopping to help someone along her path every single day.  I have to say that the merciful Good Samaritan left the beaten man and some money with an in-keeper so that he could continue on his trip.  I am not certain that Rebecca would even get to her flight on time to even take a trip.  

Most of us would prioritize getting to class on time because it translates to getting to work on time, and getting projects done on time.  This all leads to a successful career, and a successful bank account.  But, Rebecca had completely different priorities in life. 

For Rebecca, “mercy” was apparently the most important thing in life.  Not that she ever thought about it that way.  Chatting after class one day, embarrassed for being late once again, she chastised herself saying that she needed to get her act together. 

From the world’s point of view, Rebecca was failing; but looking out from the kingdom of God, Jesus would have seen someone who looked very familiar, someone who greeted him on a daily basis, someone who Jesus blessed because she was a person of mercy. 

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy,” Matthew 5:7 says.  Maybe that is why the professor was so merciful, because mercy deserves mercy in return.

Just think about that for a second.  Just think about how central mercy is to everything that a follower of Jesus does.  Mercy seeks the lost sheep.  Mercy sees the crowd who hungers.  Mercy recognizes the bleeding woman who needs healing in the crowd even when no one else does.  Mercy can hear the confession of a man dying on a cross nearby, and then declare through the pain and suffering, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”  Mercy has eyes that can see those who most need it. 

Mercy begets mercy.  We who have received mercy from Jesus upon the cross now live lives of mercy.  Mercy begets mercy.  Micah 6:8 puts it well, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”  For us, who humbly attempt to walk with God, mercy is the central focus of our lives. 

In fact, Jesus makes mercy so much a part of our lives that, much like in Rebecca’s case, we do not necessarily even realize we are doing it.  Just like blindly eating food at the kitchen counter becomes a habit of a stressed and exhausted individual, not that I would know anything about that, showing mercy becomes a habit of everyday life.  It is as if we live in a completely different kingdom than the rest of the world.  Maybe that is why Rebecca seemed to be living on another planet with other priorities.  On Rebecca’s planet, mercy took priority over everything.

And, I swear that Jesus is talking about her when telling the parable of the sheep and goats.  Remember, in that story the king commends his sheep saying, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

And, much like Rebecca, the king’s sheep respond, “‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Did you happen to notice all that mercy can include?  The good news of mercy is more than just forgiveness, though it certainly includes it, but mercy has a certain sort of concern for the over-all well-being of others.  It cares for the basic needs of water, and food, and clothing, and health, and being in relationship.  Did you notice that being connected with each other is considered by Jesus as being a necessity?  In other words, showing mercy is showing concern for the whole person. 

God cares for you as a whole person.  No matter what our situation, whether it be hunger, or disease, or loneliness, or telling the kids to sit at their computer and get back into their class for the 500^th time, or slowly losing our health little by little every day, we shout out with the Psalmist, “Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.”  After-all, as Psalm 103:8 reminds us, “the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

And, God does show us mercy.  Every day, we are graced with life and new opportunities.  Shall we start our Thanksgiving sharing a little early because I am certain our lives are filled with plenty of merciful gifts from God?  Jesus’ entire life was a life of showing mercy, and providing things for which people could be thankful.

So, what about those who do not show mercy?  It is hard to be a part of the kingdom of mercy if mercy is not allowed to be a part of your life.  It is hard to be a part of the kingdom of mercy if you do not see where Jesus is choosing to show up.

Now, this is the thing that a lot of us miss in our lives of faith, but the New Testament is quite clear about.  Jesus says to his followers in Matthew 26:32: “I am going ahead of you into Galilee.”  He is ahead of them.  He is at their destination.  Jesus is already present, wherever you go.  He is at your destination throughout your day.  Heck, he is even along the path to your destination.  You are never in foreign territory. 

In other words, Jesus is present already wherever we show up.  Jesus is present wherever mercy is possible.

You understand what that means then, right?  When you fail to show mercy, or when you choose to just walk by, you are walking right past Jesus.

“But, I would do anything for Jesus!” people shout.  “If he were right here, I would give him something to drink!”  “If he were right here, I certainly would not be one of the ones who would crucify him!”

Maybe, maybe not.

How many times have people ignored you when you were in need?  Jesus is with you in times of trouble, right?  You truly believe that, right?  So, if it is true that Jesus is with you, then Jesus must be present with others too.  But, that is a hard truth to remember and, unfortunately, it is easy to refuse to show someone mercy.

If they are not the right type of person, we refuse mercy.  If they do not act like we act, we refuse mercy.  If they do not believe the way we believe, we refuse mercy.  If they have burned too many bridges, we refuse mercy.  The world simply does not believe that mercy has the power to do anything.  The world worries about…well…the goods of the world.  But, 1 John 3:17 asks, “whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

But, God’s love does abide in you.  You are a people who have been shown mercy in the shape of a cross.  You have been welcomed into the kingdom, with mercy.  You were welcomed into the kingdom without having to prove yourself in any way.  You were loved into the kingdom. 

Who in this great world would not benefit being loved into God’s kingdom?  Can’t think of a single person?  Neither can I.  There are an infinite amount of people for whom we can welcome into the kingdom by showing mercy.

So, how do people become like Rebecca, so wrapped up in the kingdom of mercy that she does not even realize it?  Well, I guess it probably starts with Jesus showing up wherever you are.  When you see someone struggling in the store with tears in their eyes, you see Jesus with tears in his eyes.  When you see a child who just is not having a good day, you see Jesus, struggling through the day.  When you see fear in the eyes of an acquaintance, you see Jesus facing that fear. 

None of these people have to face this world alone.  Maybe, a sheep of the kingdom… you…will join them, following where your shepherd leads.  And, if you eventually end up where they had planned on being at the beginning of the day, you will tell your professor, “Sorry, sorry.  I was following the King of mercy.”