Lost Children.

(modified from my article published in the most recent issue of Evergreen SGV’s OnLine newsletter)

Imagine I was working at the “Lost Children” office at Disneyland. My job is to take care of kids who have been separated from their parents. The kids are scared, definitely lonely, and might have some special needs.

Let’s say there are two boys who come in. One is very young, dressed in rags, and seems like he has a learning disability. He’s been crying so long his voice is gone, and he won’t sit still. He’s just a lot of work for the office staff to take care of.

A second boy comes in, who is calm, not crying, and well-dressed. From my conversation with him, I find out that he has very wealthy parents. I tell myself, “there might even be a handsome reward for me if I take care of him.” He’s well-behaved, making jokes, and just a fun kid to be around.

Now, let’s say I spent all of my time with the second boy, because he’s easier to take care of and there might be some nice reward for me. And on top of that, the office staff and I ignore the first boy who probably needs your attention more. You’d probably think that it would be selfish to do that, that I would not be doing my job faithfully.

The early church was encountering a similar situation. See the words of James 2:1-4.

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby 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 was urging his brothers and sisters to think beyond themselves and to care for those cannot reward them. Likewise, our love needs to go beyond those who love us back. Like the Lost Children office, our churches have many people coming in, many of them scared and lonely, looking for a place to belong. Some of them may have hurts and quirks that are difficult to deal with. Will we as a body of Christ be faithful to our calling and love them the way the Bible teaches us to, even when they cannot offer us anything in return?

Let’s not pick and choose who we associate with, based on what they can do for us. Can you imagine what our churches would look like if we embodied the words of James 2? Can you see the welcoming, redeeming place that the body of Christ could be?

Lord, please continue to work in our hearts to be a loving, redeeming, inclusive body of Christ that loves those who others would never love. God, may You move us to shed our selfish attitudes about who we associate with so that the power of Your love is unmistakable in our lives.  Amen.