Delightful are the Poor and the Merciful

Only a good shepherd cares for his sheep. The hired hand abandons the sheep when trouble comes. Some hired hands use and abuse the sheep. These thugs come to steal, kill, and destroy the sheep. But the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. He refreshes his sheep and gives them life everlasting. Jesus said, “I know my sheep, and my sheep know me. They listen to my voice.” (John 10) I am waiting for my Good Shepherd to return and find me in him. The worldly shepherds have hurt me and left me ruined. May Lord Jesus heal me and fill me with his loving-kindness.

 

So, yesterday, Jesus Christ called me on the phone and said, “Your services to my church are not required. You are fired.” When I asked why, he replied, “There are more worthy citizens of my kingdom than you who deserve to be pastors, bishops, and evangelists in my community. They are proven people.” I wondered about their qualifications, and he said, “They are Tamil, Malayali, Telugu, and American. They are children of wonderful pastors & super missionaries. We cannot trust a Marwadi Christ-follower to handle church money, Word, and ministry. We need faithful people. Therefore, you may have done many things for my people using your money and time, but you are not needed anymore.”

 

I said: “Lord, I left everything to follow you. I left my parents, Samaj, and parental inheritance. I sacrificed my profession. I did an M. Div. (NT) to equip myself for works of service. Dear Lord, don’t you remember how many downtrodden people I uplifted by your grace and mercy. I used my money to feed the hungry and educate the illiterate. I wrote five tracts in Malayalam and distributed millions of these notices across Kerala over ten years. I led hundreds of people to you through personal evangelism and baptized a hundred. I also stood firm in you when persecution came. Despite the false lawsuits, divorce, and loss of my daughter and further education, I continue to follow you. Kindly reconsider.”

 

The good Lord replied, “Oh, that. All that you did by my grace and mercy only. So, all credit goes to me and my body –the church. I also gave you my joy, peace, kindness, and salvation to compensate for your painful contribution. However, as a divorcee (though you did not seek the divorce, and maybe your in-laws treated you harshly), you are still unfit to serve my church. My church these days comprises people of good reputation. Gone are the days I had to plead with tax collectors like Matthew and Zaccheus. These days, we include people only after careful consideration. That is why my servant terminated your membership. And other great ones are reluctant to offer you one. So, go away...” “Why don’t you return to your old religion, learn your father’s business and do it?”

 

Then I said, “O Lord, even dogs eat the crumbs that fall under your wealthy American and Malayali children’s table. Let me learn some Hebrew also, just as you graciously allowed me to study Greek.” Jesus said, “Your current profile doesn’t match our expectations. What is more, our current policy doesn’t allow us to include you in our newly revamped course system.” I implored the Lord, “Lord, you are a gracious, compassionate, loving and kind savior. I am your devotee. I am trying to contribute to your mission without my parents’ consent. All my money and skills are yours. Kindly do not deny me the right to stay with and learn from you.” The Lord replied: I can do nothing for you.

 

After hearing my agonizing talk with Jesus, a Christian friend said: “Jesus will never deny you as long as you are eager to follow him. I guarantee you that you are still a member of his extended family despite your shortcomings. That is His Word; we go miles, pray persistently, and spend millions to win a person to Christ. It is impossible that Christ will reply like you said. He is an includer, not an excluder.” I took his appeal with a pinch of salt. I said, “It is incredible. Do you still believe that the church represents Christ on earth? Do you believe Christ lives within his disciples? Do you believe Christ’s disciples are his hands, feet, and mouth?” “Yes, I do,” he answered.

 

After this, I showed him all the email, messenger, and WhatsApp conversations with my pastors, professors, and mentors. He was shocked and in disbelief. Whatever I said was their (Jesus in them, their hope of glory’s) words. Jesus speaks through these outstanding American, Malayali, Telugu, and Tamil Christ-followers. They know the gravity of Jesus’ words and use them with precision and maturity. Most of them are above fifty or even sixty. Perhaps Jesus in them doesn’t like a Marwadi Christ-follower following Jesus faithfully. Or maybe Jesus (in them) thinks souls, money, and Word ministry are a monopoly of their kind of Christians only. I don’t know. 

 

However, in my mind, I knew my real Father and what business he had called me to do. After some time, Jesus (in me) revealed to me what matters: “Position, Money, or Education do not decide a person’s worth. Faithfulness does!” If you are loyal to Jesus’ Kingdom, someday, he will acknowledge you, saying, “Well done, my faithful servant.” Jesus’ loyalty certificate has more value than a Bharat Ratna or a Nobel prize. The Jesus in me encourages me to show mercy to those in need. Today, Jesus brought to me a homeless man with pain in his shoulders. He has a history of tongue cancer. His dear ones abandoned him. He feels forsaken and cannot sleep due to grief. We heard his feelings; he felt relief. I told him, “Your life has value in God’s sight, even if nobody else cares.”

 

I met this man at the tea shop. He looked worried and sad. When he saw me, he asked me about his shoulder pain. I went through his previous medical documents. He has received much kindness. His cancer was treated successfully. Many Medical College students treated him kindly. They bought him fruit juices since he couldn’t eat solid food for long. Now, he has no money to buy medicines. I invited him to my clinic casually. He said, “Sir, I have no money. I will come after some time.” Perhaps he didn’t want to burden me in the morning. However, I welcomed him and gave him whatever I could with gratefulness to God. Jesus (in me) said: “Freely give what you received.”

 

I did not speak to the man about God or his Kingdom, but as I gave him his medicines, he looked up and exclaimed, “I know there is someone up there!” Suddenly, I felt we were Jesus’ hands and feet. How can people know that God still lives? People know him when we show them unmerited kindness. The man left happily. Then, Jesus (in me) reminded me of a verse from Matthew 25, “The King will say, ‘Truly I tell you, what-so-ever you did [to help] one of the least of these my sisters and brothers, you did for me.” (Matt. 25:40). And, a couple more from Matthew 5, “Delightful are the poor, for theirs is God’s Kingdom... Delightful are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matt. 5:3,7) Matthew describes:

 

“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