Dave Dishman

Jesus handed us with some pretty good ideas of what to do with our lives, including loving God and loving our neighbors. But Jesus didn’t stop there. In his last teaching session he left instructions involving the entire world:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Every follower of Jesus receives this call to make disciples of all nations. We introduce Jesus, teach the ways of Jesus, and baptize new disciples of Jesus. The spread of the faith occurs not by conquest or coercion, but by love and the Holy Spirit.

Many take this commission seriously today. The list includes mission agencies, churches, youth organizations, military chaplains, the producers of The Chosen series and the promoters of the He Gets Us advertising campaign. All find inspiration to communicate God’s grace and truth to a world in need from these final words of Jesus.

Keep marching. Keep extending the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ to others. Keep supporting those who do the same. The ends of the earth are in view, but we’re not there yet.

Matthew 28:19-20

Photo by Marek Studzinski

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Anyone who hazards devotion to God eventually repeats this plea for themselves. God, where are you? Why have you left me alone?

God disappears at times. Or at least it feels that way. The death of a teenager, a random act of violence, a cancer diagnosis for a young mother, all land like an anvil dropped from above. Oddly, I’m encouraged to discover King David asking this question. Described as a man after God’s own heart, one who communed intimately with the Lord, he still lost touch in his pain and confusion.

I don’t find easy answers to this disturbing question. I don’t know why God goes silent. Maybe it’s a test of faith, or perhaps sitting in our pain helps us to emphasize with the pain of others? Certainly seeking the Lord when we’re all alone deepens our dependence on him. Regardless, I struggle.

David delivered hope when he later wrote: I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

In the dark times the best I can do is hold on. Cling to faith and wait for the Lord. His goodness will reappear, slowly yet steadily, like a sunrise burning the mists away from the valley of despair. Forsaken yes, but never without hope.

Psalm 22:1; Psalm 27:13 & 14

Photo by Pavel Moiseev

I notice a lot of signage (mostly around coffee shops) encouraging me to be kind. It’s nice gesture, and I need a jolt of caffeine in the morning before I can consider the feelings of others. As the original source for those Be Kind posters, the Scriptures are filled with encouragements to care.

Jesus laid a provocative discourse before his disciples prior to his death. He described his final return—glorious, powerful and surrounded by angels. Seated on a throne, Jesus will judge every person from every nation, separating the sheep from the goats. The righteous (sheep) inherit the kingdom of God, while the wicked (goats) slide to eternal punishment. Notice the criteria Jesus uses to distinguish the two groups:

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

The primary attributes fencing sheep from goats revolve around how we treat other people. It’s not rocket science—feed those the hungry, give a cold drink to the thirsty, welcome a stranger, take care of the sick. Maybe visiting prisons is a stretch today, but Jesus speaks of everyday considerations, of noticing the people around you and stepping toward them. Faith in Jesus always manifests itself in kindness towards others.

I’m reminded of this quote from Middlemarch, a book by George Eliot: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

Simple kindnesses produce good in this world. I move closer to the kingdom of God when I ask a checker at the supermarket how their day is going, or when I offer water to the young men trimming my trees. I welcome a stranger when I say, I’m glad you’re here, to an international student or professor I meet on campus.

Kindness is underrated. Yet it’s something we can practice every day to make this world a better place, and ensure a spot with the sheep in the next.

Matthew 25:31-46

Photo by Randalyn Hill

Religion carries do’s and don’ts, like avoiding certain foods, or abstaining from alcohol, or giving a set amount of income. At times these serve as performative worship, showing God (and others) just how good we can be. Many religious leaders in Jerusalem participated heartily in such practices. Jesus, however, would have none of their disingenuous devotion.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Those targeted by Jesus failed to comprehend the most important parts of the law. While good at giving the exact amount required, they missed out on justice, mercy and faithfulness, concepts central to the law of Moses. Wrongs getting righted, evil punished, innocent protected, help extended to the helpless—all decisive truths neglected in the pursuit of parsing spices.

Without canceling the tithing of their goods, Jesus pointed to a deeper way. The outward trappings of religion make for good theatre, but without the heart behind them it’s all for show. Let’s not lose sight of the weightier things in the midst of our religious activities.

Matthew 23:23

Photo by Anju Ravindranath