Letters From Grandpa #546

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 546

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about Judgment Day. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “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 25:31-40)

The last two words of this passage “for me” come from the Greek word “ἐμοί” ” which means “I, me, mine, my.” For this reason many versions translate this word as “to me.” Since believers are members of the Body of Christ, what you do to “them” is like doing it to “Jesus”. Remember when Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus on the Road to Damascus he said: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4; 22:7; 26:14) In other words, persecuting the members of Christ’s Body was persecuting Jesus!

Please note that caring for the “least of these” was assigned to “all believers” and not just to “leaders” in the church. Remember! “Y ou are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:27-31)

No! Not all members of the Body are leaders, but all members of the Body can love! Love is the “most excellent way”! The commandment to love is for everybody! So - “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Now let’s return to Judgment Day! “All nations” means “you and me”. We are “all” going to be judged on how we treat “the least of these.” Yes! “You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27) Yes! “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4)

In 1956 Kathryn Hulme wrote a best selling novel named The Nun’s Story. In 1959 it was made into a movie. Here is a poignant passage from that book: “All for Jesus, Sister William had said in the ward, pulling on the rubber gloves. Say it, my dear students, every time you are called upon for what seems an impossible task. Then you can do anything with serenity. It is a talisman phrase that takes away the disagreeable inherent in many nursing duties. Say it for the bedpans you carry, for the old incontinents you bathe, for those sputum cups of the tubercular. Tout pour Jesus, she said briskly as she bent to change a dressing foul with corruption. Gabrielle, Jeannine, Charlotte . . . come closer and watch how I do this. You see how easy. All for Jesus . . . This is no beggar’s body picked up in the Rue des Radis. This is the body of Christ and this suppurating sore is one of His Wounds . . .”

Our dear friend Richard Metsker resented working at the sewage disposal department until he learned to do it for Jesus! Remember! “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

Some estimate that as many as 20% of the people in the Roman empire were slaves. Paul wrote to them saying: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:5-8)

Remember! Some day “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.”

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce