I was hoping the LUKEWARM PEOPLE thing would fade. But it's not. It's still sitting with me. As it should.
And now in Chapter 7 Chan starts talking about Jesus' comments to his disciples in Matthew 25. Jesus is talking about the hungry, the thirsty, those needing clothes or sick or in prison, and he says, "whatever you did for the least of one of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
I have a 90 year old grandmother (Grandma Jane). My grandpa passed away a little over a year ago. It was one of the hardest losses I've yet suffered in my life, and it's made me fiercely protective of my grandmother. You have to understand I ADORE my Grandma Jane. She is about the sweetest woman I've ever met (you're thinking of your grandma too...or someone who's been a grandma to you, aren't you?).
Grandma Jane is funny and quirky and she sings about ducks paddling and fish swimming and shows me the old oak tree where Grandpa asked her to a dance for the first time. She's one of my favorite people in this entire world.
So, as I'm out and about going about days that are crazy and crowded, my Grandma Jane pops into my mind frequently.
I'm standing in line in the grocery store and the person in front of me is taking forever to check out....I'm driving in a parking lot and someone cuts me off....I see a person begging on the side of the road...I put my Grandma Jane in place of the person and it makes it easier for me to extend grace and love to that individual.
There's something about the thought of my sweet little Grandma in need, or struggling, or confused in some way that just helps me calm down, have the patience of Job; and I'm so much more willing to jump in and help, when I think that this individual, no matter how difficult they may be, could be Grandma Jane.
Many times I treat people who are poor and desperate as I would treat my grandmother....what's bothering me, is that I'm seeing how I'm placing my grandmother in a place where Jesus should be.
If Jesus says, "whatever you do for them, you do for me." Chan takes it a step farther and says, that "He expects us to treat the poor and the desperate as if they were Christ Himself."
I'm doing that with my Grandma Jane....but I'm supposed to be doing it with Jesus.
I adore my Grandma Jane, but I love Jesus more. Why do I place Grandma Jane in a spot where I should place Jesus?
It's fine for me to love my Grandma Jane as much as I do, but I also have to put Jesus in the right place and understand that His children are suffering, struggling, weary, poor in spirit, and starving for Him.
I can put on the grubby old tennis shoes and chase after Jesus. I can chase Him to the point where I'm free to love as He has designed me to, and maybe give my Grandma Jane a break from being the person I'm serving. Put Jesus in the right place...and truly serve Him as He has asked me to do. God gave me His best, I can give it to Him too...in every way.
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