Matthew 25:35-40

The Gospel Now

Brenda was one of the many “poor souls” who found their way into our downtown church.  She was crying because she had just been evicted from her small apartment for non-payment of rent, and she didn’t know what to do. 

Her story was, indeed sad.  She worked as an aide in a nursing home, working the odd hours that others could or would not.  She was glad to have a job, but getting housing was a problem.  She had no car, so could only work somewhere near a bus line. Bus schedules don’t necessarily coincide with work hours, especially late at night.  She sometimes lost jobs because of lateness, so her job history was spotty. Landlords like to be paid so will rent only to those with a job.  Rent schedules don’t always coincide with paydays.  So sometimes she got behind, never to really catch up.  Some landlords were willing to give her a little leeway in exchange for “favors”.  When she couldn’t or wouldn’t comply, she was out on her ear.  Any court would understand “non-payment of rent.”  She had no defense.

People at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder in our country have few choices. Almost as much as lack of food, shelter or clothing, a lack of choices is a killer of the spirit.  Our system is set up for the “haves”.  Even our social service systems are set up that way.  Our food pantries help a client temporarily – they are limited in use per month.

Our agencies that give rent help do so on a limited-term basis.  Even the homeless shelters have limits on how long a guest can stay.  But the world is full of Brendas, people with mental and emotional conditions that make independent living more of a challenge than they can manage.   Everyone needs a support system in order to make it – someone to sympathize when things go wrong, have a couch to crash on when evicted, offer a bite to eat when the cash runs out; someone to offer encourage-ment or to celebrate with when things go right.  People like Brenda are easy prey for thieves, drug pushers, and other unscrupulous characters.

“For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty and 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.”   This is the fleshed-out vision of Isaiah 61:10-62:3.

The birth of Jesus, the hoped for Messiah, did not usher in a golden age of peace, prosperity and love.  Instead, Jesus gave us a vision to live and work for, a vision that includes all the children of the world having enough to eat, and people like Brenda having a place where they are cared for, protected and have choices.  Let’s dedicate ourselves to that vision for Jesus’ sake.

Jesus said, “Just as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me.”