They, in this case, are the people who live without homes, and they are the people we think have problems. "What do they like?" "How do I talk to them?" I'm often asked. All this talk have been rubbing me the wrong way, some hting doesn't seem right. I don't think Jesus is OK with us seeing other people as "them." The good news of the bible is that Jesus' disciples (that's us) draw people together in unity and mutual love the opposite of an us/them division.
I think that for many of us the problem is a vision issue, we don't know how to see people who are different than us.
At one point Jesus had some people gathered around him and told them a story about helping him out. "Many of you guys have been blessed by my father and are blessing others because of it. You had water and gave me something to drink, you had food and gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was a stranger and you invited me in. You people who've loved me are the ones who understand that my disciples have upside-down values compared to the values of society. We spend time with the poor and invite the rich to come along. We love our enemies and we stand with the people that are unpopular to stand with.
This is a definition of biblical righteousness= living every day the same way Jesus did by loving people we as "them." (Anyone who's different)
So, back to "us" and "them." When we see them over there, and us over here the devision in our mind is so great that we don't know how to cross it. Jesus is addressing this vision issue in Matt 25. He says, "Remember that's me that your serving." He's cold and wet, been abandoned and possibly needs a friend. Do you see him?
This winter some of us will have to live in righteousness by deciding that it's OK to be friends with Jesus when he wants to come in from the cold or go out for a smoke at the Extreme Weather Shelter.
Next time you see someone very different from yourself, poor or rich, and you stay away because they're different, remember, you see Jesus.
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